3rd January 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 2,027

SUNDAY, 3 JANUARY, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

IBADAN CHIEFTAINCY:

Oyo govt insists on medical test for Ladoja, 8 others pg9

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

OBJ, Ekwueme, Shagari, IBB need prayers in 2016 —Primate Ayodele

His travail is about 2019 polls — PDP Your claim childish, laughable —APC

pg4

N200

85-year-old man pg8 murdered in Oyo town; head, intestines removed pg43

APC, PDP fight dirty over Dasuki Businessman unveils Africa’s biggest statue of Christ in Imo

Nigerian Tribune

pg4

War of words:

Fans react to Don Jazzy, Olamide’s pg9 Headies Awards clash

New fuel price

Marketers desert filling stations to avoid DPR pg5 sanctions

The nine-metre tall statue of Jesus Christ carved from white marble, unveiled in Abajah, Imo state on January 1, 2016.

PHOTO: AFP

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

life&living Killing of Lagos twins: When ’ll murder by uniformed men stop?

In this report, OLALEKAN OLABULO writes on the incessant cases of murder and extra-judicial killings by security agents

Mobile policemen maltreating a man

T

HE recent killing of three people , including twin brothers, by a drunk mobile policeman at a Lagos hotel clearly showed that there is no end in sight to the agony of Nigerians in the hands of those who are armed to protect them.

Successive Inspectors General of the Nigeria Police had, in the past, warned their officers against extra judicial killings. A former IGP, Muhammed Abubakar , while interacting with men and officers of the Lagos State police command warned that “it is better to allow a criminal to escape than to kill an innocent person in the course of trying to stop the criminal.”

A security expert, Christopher Olise, while speaking with Sunday Tribune on extra judicial killing, explained that “ the police should not only be blamed for this, the public should also share in the blame. How can any reasonable person drag fire arms with a policeman.

That is a suicide attempt “ He added that, “ These policemen are human beings like many of us. There have been cases of pastors who batter their wives . There have been cases of responsible

Corpse of a man who died as a result of extra-judicial killing

people who acted on impulse to do one thing or the other that are regrettable .It is just that the policemen were armed . Those other people would have used their riffles too if they had been in possession of any.’’

A senior police officer , who pleaded anonymity, while

speaking with the Sunday Tribune on some of the causes of extra judicial killings by policemen, narrated that “ it can be a coincidence . Let me give you an exContinues pg 3

3

life&living

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

‘Psychological imbalance, frustration can cause extra-judicial killing’

President Muhammadu Buhari

Solomon Arase, Inspector-General of Police

How does one explain a situation whereby a policeman killed his wife, children, as well as his neighbours over minor disagreement

Scene of a recent killing by a mobile policeman

Continued from pg 2

ample . There was a robbery operation in Port Harcourt, where one of the victims escaped to the police station to report.”

He continued: “The armed robbers operated in a tricycle, the policemen, who arrived at the scene of the robbery used a tricycle, while the complainant also returned to the scene of the robbery in a tricycle. The policemen, on arriving the scene of the robbery, were speaking with other victims when the complainant’s tricycle was sighted from afar.’’

“Other victims of the robbery, on sighting the complainant’s tricycle, alerted the police and the complainant himself on sighting the policemen in mufti and with guns thought they were the armed robbers . He jumped out of the tricycle and took to his heels . One of the policemen

chased him and before anybody could do anything , the complainant brought out an arrow and pierced the policeman’ s cheeks, while the policeman opened fire on him. Those who did not know what happened blamed the policeman, but he was also almost killed. That is coincidence,’’ the senior policeman stated.

The Nigeria Police law stipulates a very serious punishment for any officer found guilty of extra judicial killing . First is the orderly room trial, after which comes a dismissal and a charge before a law court . Any erring police officer automatically forfeits his or her retirement benefits .

These punitive measures, however, seem not to serve as deterrence to police men who see the fire arms as the only means of dealing with alleged enemies .

Many reasons have been attributed to

the rising cases of police’s extra judicial killings in Nigeria and the reasons include : frustration, coincidence, provocation , psychological imbalance , inadequate welfare package, lack of proper training and illiteracy A senior police officer, who pleaded anonymity , while speaking with the Sunday Tribune, opined that extra judicial killing could only be minimized.

“How does one explain a situation whereby a policeman killed his wife, children, as well as his neighbours over minor disagreement in Ogun State, just because he had contact with a riffle given to him by the police to protect the citizens,” he asked.

Recently , a national hero , a tennis star, who is also a mother to another tennis star , Beauty Mc –Cleaod, was shot to death by a policeman , who was on guard at a Lagos hotel , where she had lodged.

There were two different accounts as to what actually led to the killing .The police in the state claimed that the deceased woman was dragging firearms with the police officer , while eye witnesses claimed that the woman only had an argument with the killer policeman.

Just some weeks before the unfortunate killing of the tennis star , a trigger - happy policeman cut short the joy of a family around Isheri Oshun area of Lagos State, when he killed the woman in the family .

The deceased woman , simply identified as Mrs Ekpo, her husband and children were on their way to the church when the killer policeman shot at their tricycle, killing the woman instantly and injuring the husband .

Sunday Tribune gathered that the killer policeman was only trying to stop the tricycle to collect the usual N50 bribe from Mr Ekpo , when the unfortunate incident happened . The policeman was subsequently arrested and charged before a law court. That did not in any way restore the family’s joy that had been shattered.

There are also cases of accidental discharge. Recently, a police inspector mistakenly killed his wife in Egbeda area of Lagos State . The policeman obviously forgot to put his gun to safety catch when he got home on the day of the ill fated incident There was also the case of a man who was bit by stray bullets from operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad of the Lagos State police command during a gun battle with suspected armed robbers on the island of the state.

The policemen were on the island to arrest a notorious armed robber who was on their wanted list, after arresting a member of his gang . When the armed robber sighted the policemen from afar, he opened fire, and a shootout ensued. A resident of the area who was trying to scamper for safety, was hit by stray bullets.”

Extra judicial killing is also said to be caused by the psychological state of the policement. A psychologist, Akin Adedeji, explained that “At every point in time, a policeman holding a riffle should be 100 per cent psychologically balanced . ‘’Anything short of this can lead to anything, They act under impulse and it takes a psychological balance to control anger, emotions and frustrations,’’ he said.

“There are also instances of killings caused by frustration. There was the case of a policeman , who always had disagreement with his wife . At every slightest provocation , he would threaten to kill his wife, but he never meant it. During one of their fights, his wife died. That policeman was frustrated and he would have killed another person with a rifle “ a senior policeman said .

The image maker in charge of Lagos State police command , Joe Offor , while speaking with the Sunday Tribune, stated that the punitive measures were enough to discourage policemen from indiscriminate use of fire arms.

Offor said: “ In any proven case of improper use of fire arms, the policeman is dismissed , charged to court and made to forfeit his entitlement,’’ pointing out that the police high authority does not condone any act of indiscipline with the use of such arms.

On how the police are discouraging indiscriminate use of firearms, he said “ there is a need to constantly train and retrain our officers and we have been doing that . We let them know the implication of indiscriminate use of fire arms.”

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news

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

PDP, APC trade hot words over Dasuki •He’s being persecuted over 2019 —PDP From Leon Usigbe, Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawole Daniel

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, engaged in war of words over the ongoing trial of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

While the PDP insisted that Dasuki’s current problems were directly linked to the 2019 presidential election, the APC described the charge as childish and laughable.

The PDP, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the president was pursuing an agenda to decimate the opposition so that it would be unable to compete for power in 2019.

The PDP alleged that the current “persecution” of Dasuki was meant to stop him from a possible shot at the presidency in the next general election, adding that Buhari and leaders of his APC are averse to constructive criticisms despite riding to power through severe criticisms of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his government.

But the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Saturday, reacted to the PDP, noting that the ongoing trial of Dasuki had nothing to do with 2019 presidential election, describing PDP’s claim as childish and laughable conspiracy theories.

According to OdigieOyegun, “whoever the PDP picks as its candidate for the 2019 presidential election is not the business of the APC; relevant laws in the country clearly spells out requirements for persons seeking election into all political office.”

According to the PDP, “it is sad and embarrassing that President Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade has now been reduced to a war between the APC and the PDP as declared by the office of his spokespersons.

Since they have confirmed that this is what the anticorruption crusade is all about, the APC is obviously seeking to destroy the PDP so that it can push through Buhari’s second tenure in 2019 without opposition from the PDP. Metuh maintained that the declaration has confirmed its concern this

[2019 election] is the reason the Federal Government is persecuting, and not prosecuting, Col. Sambo Dasuki. The APC and its leaders fear that Dasuki, given his vast political and security network, may be harbouring a presidential ambition, more so that the PDP has zoned its presidential ticket to the North.”

But a statement issued on behalf of Odigie-Oyegun by his Assistant Director of Publicity, Mr Edegbe Odemwingie, quoted the APC national chairman as saying that “the preoccupation of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari is to deliver on all the promises made to Nigerians by the party during the 2015 election. Looking back at the last seven months, there are clear indicators showing that the APC and President Buhari’s administration are on the right track to deliver on its Change Agenda.”

The PDP had noted that it was aware of the sinister plan by the APC-led Federal Government to destroy the party by levelling all manners of allegations of corruption against the Goodluck Jonathan administration and leaders of the PDP with a view to taking them to court on orchestrated charges.

However, the APC denied such a plan, noting that the APC is a law-abiding party that believes in the rule of law unlike the PDP, which was known for impunity, noting that there was no plot to coerce the judiciary to convict PDP leaders and officials of the immediate past administration.

“The PDP speaks of a presidential directive to security agencies and judiciary to “coerce” and “convict” PDP leaders and officials of the immediate-past administration with corruption charges.

Clearly, such abuse of presidential directives was a concept invented and effectively deployed by the PDP during its defunct 16-year rule. The APC is a law-abiding party and cannot adopt such diabolical concept. The APC believes strongly in the rule of law, as against the kind of impunity Nigeria witnessed under the PDP for 16 years.

“We assure Nigerians that the PDP conspiracy theories will not distract the President Buhari administration, law enforcement and anti-graft agen-

cies from the successful on-going war against corruption being waged on looters of our common wealth. The ongoing war against corruption is not selective. Anybody guilty of corrupt practices will face the law.

“Clearly, the PDP has chosen to blame everyone but itself for the sorry state it finds itself. The PDP should have known that it will pay for its years of impunity, recklessness and shocking mismanagement of the country’s commonwealth. PDP members

•Your claim childish, laughable —APC who are genuinely inspired by the APC-led administration are welcome to the APC fold. It is their right to abandon a sinking ship and join one that is smooth-sailing”, the statement concluded,” OdigieOyegun stated.

But speaking further, Metuh accused the APC and its leaders of not wanting to condone criticisms, saying “the APC who gleefully and unjustifiably poured invectives on former President Jonathan in the guise of playing the role of an opposition party,

would now not want to condone criticisms,” just as it expressed sympathy with them over what it said was their inability to accept, with equanimity, constructive criticisms of their administration, just as it owed that it would not abandon its role as opposition and worship the president.

The opposition party said: “Unlike the APC that denigrated the office and person of former President Jonathan by wrongly depicting him as ‘clueless and incompetent’, the PDP remains the most decent, mature

and constructive opposition party in our democracy and we have evidenced great respect for the person and exalted office of President Buhari.

“During the Goodluck Jonathan presidency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, while in the saddle as interim Deputy National Secretary of the APC, in a post on his twitter page, described President Jonathan as ‘lazy, docile, incompetent, clueless, hopeless and useless leader.’ Other APC leaders made raining abuses on Jonathan a pastime.”

CNPP backs Mbaka on alleged plot against Buhari Jude Ossai-Enugu

FOLLOWING claims by the Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, that there would be plots to assassinate President Muhammadu Buhari over his war on corruption, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has backed the cleric.

The National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, Osita Okechukwu, in a statement on Saturday, reacted to Mbaka’s prophecy, noting that “when you’re fighting corruption, corruption will fight back.”

Osita, who is also the spokesman of South-East Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told Sunday Tribune that he had joined Fr. Mbaka in praying that the hands of the enemies of progress would not touch President Buhari in his march to

move the nation forward.

Osita further said that Ndigbo, Yoruba, Hausa and hundreds of other ethnic groups in Nigeria had been marginalised by the predatory regime of the tiny island of the rich, saying: “It’s their looting, which simulated the gross unemployment, dilapidated federal and states roads and collapse of industries. It’s this tiny island of the rich that corrupted our system and rendered our infrastructure comatose. These are the people Mr President is trying to recover our looted funds from.”

Fr. Mbaka had disclosed on Friday in his New Year message that there would be plots to kill Buhari but the plots would fail.

Speaking at his Adoration Ministry ground, Mbaka said: “No matter how malignant the prob-

lem is, God says He will be in charge. Fellow Nigerians, let us wait upon God; I have a new message; I’m blessing and covering the message we are giving now in the prophetic name of Jesus.

Father, speak now as your servant listens.

“My beloved Nigerians, those who led us from last year downwards, they have killed this country; none of them is qualified to stay in this country by now, both the president, the Senators, the House of Representatives members, the chairmen of local governments, the governors, they are wicked. It doesn’t matter the man of God they worship with; I tell you, before God and man, all of them are wicked; they hate this country, they succeeded in removing the liver, kidney and cardiovascular system of

Biggest Jesus Christ’s statue unveiled in Imo A 30-foot statue of Jesus Christ carved from white marble, thought to be the biggest of its kind in Africa, was unveiled on Friday in Abajah, Imo State.

Standing barefoot with arms outstretched, the “Jesus de Greatest” statue weighs 40 tonnes.

More than 100 priests and hundreds of Catholic worshippers attended the nine-metre (30-foot) statue’s official unveiling in the village of Abajah in southeastern Nigeria.

It was commissioned by Obinna Onuoha, a local businessman who hired a Chinese company to carve it and placed it in the grounds of a 2000-capacity church that he built in 2012.

In his homily at a Mass before unveiling the statue,

presiding bishop Augustine Tochukwu Okwuoma said it would be a “very great symbol of faith” for Catholic worshippers and passers-by alike.

“It will remind them of the importance of Jesus Christ,” said Okwuoma.

The cost of the statue has not been revealed.

Earlier in the week, Onuoha told AFP it would be “the biggest statue of Jesus on the continent.”

The 43-year-old boss of an oil and gas distribution company timed the statue’s unveiling to coincide with his parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.

Nigeria’s foreign reserves drop to $29bn Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves declined by 15.61 percent year-on-year to $29.13 billion by Dec. 29, from $34.52 billion a year ago, data from the central bank showed on Thursday.

The forex reserves of Africa’s biggest economy and top crude exporter also dropped by 2.6 percent in one month from $29.91

billion a month earlier.

According to a report published by Reuters, the forex reserves fell to their lowest since July 1, 2015 when they stood at $29.07 billion because the central bank has been using the reserves to support the ailing naira currency in the wake of falling global oil prices.

this country and handed over to President Buhari the shambles, skeletal organs of this country; a nation that is in coma.

“Nigeria, as we speak now, economically and security-wise, is in the intensive care unit; if the oxygen is removed, Nigeria will die. People of God prayed from here and there and God gave us Buhari. God has told us that Buhari is prayer answered; President Buhari is an answered prayer; whether you hate him or like him, Buhari is prayer answered. The Bishops of Nigeria, the Catholic Bishops prayed against bribery and corruption and this president came with a charter that has to do with war against corruption; all the prayers we have been doing about bribery and corruption, God answered it in Buhari who decided not to discriminate; there is nothing like religious or political discrimination in Buhari’s government.

“He needs all the support, unstoppable support; spiritual and otherwise; because if he is not the man in power now, had it been the last regime continued, by now, Nigeria would be for sale.

I am not a sycophant; but I want to tell you that so far God is happy and he who God has blessed none can curse. Many people are planning to kill Buhari; there are many plans on how to eliminate his life so that corruption will continue; so that embezzlement will continue. But I speak to Buhari that God who put you there will protect you. Be firm, remain resolute, don’t be intimidated; President Buhari, God and his people are behind you, you are the answer to the prayer of His people.”

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news

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

New fuel price: Marketers desert filling stations

•Others demand ‘monetary incentive’ to sell at FG recommended price From Moses Alao, Chima Nwokoji,AustinEbipade,Jude Ossai, Olayinka Olukoya, AkinAdewakun,Chukwuma Okparaocha, Hakeem Gbadamosi,BanjiAlukoand Ebenezer Adurokiya

F

or the second day running, independent fuel marketers across the country defied the Federal Government’s directive that set the new pump price at N86:50k, with many selling above the recommended price and others deserting the stations apparently to avoid DPR sanctions.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government declared N86 as pump price for stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and N86:50k for independent marketers beginning from Friday, 1 January, 2016, noting that the removal of fuel subsidy would officially begin in the New Year.

Many independent fuel marketers, however, have failed to abide by the government’s directive, as investigations in many state capitals across the country showed that the prices of the commodity still differed from filling station to filling station.

In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, most of the filling stations that opened on Saturday sold the product between N110 and N130, leaving motorists and motorcycle operators with little to no alternative, as most of the stations that could comply with the government’s directive were shut.

A motorist who identified himself as Mr Ojewole Adisa, while speaking with Sunday Tribune at a filling station in Mokola area of Ibadan, said though the government directive was a good development, serious efforts would be needed to make the marketers comply, noting that the limited number of NNPC stations in Ibadan would make any customer buy at the illegal prices at which the stations were selling.

Rivers retains N140 per litre Petrol stations in Omoku Rivers State sold at N140 per litre, and when Sunday Tribune visited another filling station beside Agip at Ebocha in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, Rivers State, fuel also sold for N140,

while the product was sold at N200 per litre by the roadside (black market).

Marketers stick to old price in Bayelsa Private marketers in Bayelso, who retained their old prices per litre of fuel, hinged their excuse on the shortfall of supply to the state by tankers, even as they noted that the price of lifting the product from depots in Port Harcourt has not reduced to enable them sell at the new pump price approved by the federal government.

Thus, impatient commuters plying the Yenagoa/ Port Harcourt transport route still purchased the product at N130 per litre, to enable them cover at most seven to eight trips before nightfall.

Peeved by private marketers’ refusal to quickly revert to the new pump price, consumers have called on the Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Taskforce in the state to wade into matter and either arrest defaulters or impound their filling stations.

When our correspondent visited the office of the DPR and Petroleum Taskforce, the staff were yet to resume after the Christmas and New Year holiday.

However, an inside source at the state DP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said as soon as they resume, the outfit would enforce compliance with the new pump price.

However, the NNPC Mega Station in Bayelsa has begun to dispense the product at the new approved price by the federal government.

Sunday Tribune in Yenagoa gathered that the NNPC Mega Station on the Sani Abacha Express road, experienced traffic congestion, as commuters and private vehicles took advantage of the new rate.

N87, N150, N180 in Enugu In Enugu State, the price of petrol varied from community to community, as some of the petrol stations visited in Nsukka showed that a litre of petrol sold at N180 while black market sold at N200.

In Enugu metropolis, a litre of petrol sold at N150

by Independent Petroleum Marketers while the major marketers sold at N87.

The worst hit are people in rural areas due to mass exodus of people from cit-

ies and towns who had returned homes for Christmas and new year celebrations.

One of the motorists interviewed in Enugu who gave his name as Okechukwu Nwodo said the fuel situation in the state is horrible, stressing that he had no alternative than to patronise the Independent oil marketers because he could not afford to join the long queue in filling stations that complied with the directive.

“Look. There is no time and I cannot wait all day because I want to buy just 10 litres of fuel for my car.

I want people to support Buahri government. I believe some people want to sabotage Buhari government by hoarding petroleum products. There are many petrol stations in the state, yet the price of fuel is high,” he stated.

Prices fluctuate at N86, N100, N120 in Abeokuta In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) sold at N86 per litre as directed while others sold at N87 per litre on New Year day.

Other independent marketers are still selling above the regulated price of N86.50k as directed.

Some filling stations still sold as high as N120 per litre, claiming that they are still dispensing old stock.

A petrol station at Onikolobo area of Abeokuta, as at Saturday, sold for N100 per litre, while others sold at N120 per litre.

However, information from Ijebu-Ode area of the state had it that marketers have complied with the new price by selling at N87 per litre.

According to a motorist, Alhaji Dayo Rufai, most marketers are dispensing at regulated price while customers experienced no hassles before buying the product, but majority of the marketers in other parts of the state have still not complied with the new directive.

Fuel stations revert to pump price on machines, remain under lock and key in Lagos Most of the filling stations visited at Abule Egba-Iyana Ipaja axis of Lagos were still under lock and key as at the time of filing this report.

For instance, out of the nine filling stations visited

on the axis, yesterday, only Total Filling Station, located very close to Katangowa Market, in Abule Egba, was seen dispensing fuel to motorists and also those that came with jerry cans.

Here there was total compliance with the federal government’s directive on the fuel price as the station was seen selling the product at the stipulated price of N86.50 per litre.

Though the remaining filling stations, such as Techno Oil, Mobil, A.A. Rano, N.N.P.C, Mao, ConOil and MOJ filling stations were not selling the product, with none of the their staff in sight, many filling stations had adjusted their pumps to read the stipulated price.

A commercial bus driver in the area, Kazeem Owoeye, explained to Sunday Tribune that most of the filling stations, especially the ones owned by independent marketers had not commenced business since Friday, when the enforcement of the regulation was supposed to commence.

“We wouldn’t know whether this is deliberate or a sheer coincidence, since if it had been the other way round, they would have been the first to commence selling the product at the new rate. Perhaps because the new rate does not sound appealing to them, they are reluctant to sell,” Owoeye stated.

He however charged the government to come up with a strategy that would ensure that every marketer in the country complies with the new price.

Also, many stations at the Agbado area of Lagos were under lock and key when Sunday Tribune visited the area to investigate the level of compliance.

As at 5p.m. on the second day of the New Year, checks made showed that many of the stations which had been selling fuel all along were totally deserted.

The NNPC station at Abule Taylor area of Agbado was not dispensing fuel, despite the fact that it fully sold fuel just the day before. The same situation played out at OANDO Station located few meters away.

Meanwhile, hours before the new pump price regime was to take effect, many of the stations in question and others were selling fuel at N87, while a few were selling for as

much as N120.

However, many of those selling at the then approved price of N87, were known for requesting for something ‘extra’ from commuters buying fuel.

For instance, filling stations at Abule Taylor were known for asking motorists to “put something on top” of the normal fuel price. For example, a motorist who bought a full tank worth of fuel could be requested to part with as much as N500 on the normal price of fuel bought.

Fuel still sells between N120 and N140 in Akure Despite the directive, most fuel stations still sold between N120 and N140 inAkure, the capital city of Ondo State, depending on the location of the petrol station while the price on the pump meters remained N87 despite selling above N100.

Fuel stations located within the capital city sold between N120 and N125 while those at the outskirts sold between N130 and N140 with no queue in most of the stations.

Speaking with Sunday Tribune, an attendant told our correspondent that the new price will not be effective until most of the filling stations were able to sell off their old stock.

He said: “Government is not being realistic with the directive because dealers might not sell at that price because we cannot buy at that price from NNPC soon” The NNPC station located at the Akure/Owo road was closed as at the time of writing this report but a customer who bought fuel at the station in the morning said he bought fuel at N87.

Marketers in Benin, Delta defy directive Filling stations in Benin City, Edo State sold fuel between N120 and N135 just as they did on New Year day.

Among the stations visited, only the the NNPC mega filling station located on Sapele Road and Total Filling station on Akpakpava Road complied with the new pump price as fuel was sold for N86 per litre at the NNPC mega station and N86:50k at the Total station.

A popular filling station, however, compelled buyers to purchase their insecticide as a condition to

selling the fuel to them at the approved price.

Filling stations located on Sapele Road, Airport Road, Akpakpava Road and First East Circular Road did not comply with the new price regime.

It was observed that majority of the filling station within Benin metropolis did not have fuel, though it was clear that the fuel scarcity, that had hitherto gripped the city, had disappeared.

Fuel was sold for N130 at a filling station located on Sapele Road, while others located on Airport Road, sold fuel between N120 and N135.

Also, the situation has not changed in Delta State, as petrol price has remained on the high side.

At Hausa Quarters in Warri, as of yesterday at while OANDO sold at N86, another filling station sold at N120, while CONOIL had no fuel at the time of filing this report.

Other filling stations such at Bazunu junction and Ometan road, both at Warri, sold at N130.

DPR begins enforcement in Plateau The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has begun to visit filling stations in Plateau to ensure major and independent marketers comply with the new pump price of N86.50 per litre as directed by the Federal Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Pankshin that officials of the department are currently visiting the central and southern zones of the state to ensure total compliance.

The department’s team Leader and Human Resources Assistant, Mr Habib Yahaya, told NAN in Pankshin on Saturday that “Anything above these two official pump prices would attract serious sanctions from our department.

Yahaya expressed concern about the attitude of some of the independent and major marketers who he accused of avoiding them.

“When they heard we are coming they quickly closed down and ran away from the filling station so that we could not check the volume of what they had in stock,’’ he observed.

Yahaya called on the public to alert DPR of any erring filling station that would not sell at the official pump price of N86.50.

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3 January, 2016

crimereports

Sunday Tribune

edited by Oluwatoyin Malik 0807 889 1950, 0811 695 4633 praiseboy01@gmail.com

I bought lawyers’ robe because I love the profession —Suspected fake lawyer

By Oluwatoyin Malik

A

NYONE who sees the portrait of 44-year-old Elijah Ogunsami in which he was dressed in a lawyer’s robe, with a wig sitting beautifully on his head, would not doubt his being a learned person, as lawyers are referred to.

But when it was time to interview the man who was recently arrested by the Oyo State Police Command, he begged to be allowed to speak in Yoruba, as he was not good in communicating in English.

Why? He was asked. “I did not go to the university,” he disclosed, stating further: “I only read up to Senior Secondary School 3.”

Not only did Ogunsami pretend to be a lawyer, going by the photographs recovered from his house by the police, he also claimed to be a prophet whose main source of income was to pray for those with perceived spiritual problems and carry out necessary atonement rites to turn their situations around.

Briefing journalists on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 about the arrest of the suspect, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said that Ogunsami had been parading himself as a lawyer, as well as defrauding unsuspecting members of the public of their hard-earned money.

He added that one of his victims, Evelyn (surname withheld), had identified the suspect, whom she said obtained over N500,000 from her under the pretext that he could proffer spiritual solutions to her problems.

The police commissioner listed the exhibits recovered from the suspect to include a lawyer’s wig, a forged Identity Card of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), photographs of the suspect in which he was dressed as a lawyer and a member of a white garment church, as well as land sale agreement documents.

Speaking with Crime Reports, Ogunsami admitted all he was accused

of, asking God and Nigerians to forgive him.

Narrating what led to his arrest, the suspect said: “I am a prophet of a white garment church. I see visions for people and organise prayers for them. I have no church of my own; I only worship in different churches. I use my residence as an office to attend those who come seeking for help.

“A lady approached me to organise prayers for her. She said she needed a husband and also wanted her business to grow. She also sought prayers for her mother whom she said had stroke. I bought all the materials needed for the job

Elijah Ogunsami and carry out the necessary

things I needed to do.

“To my surprise, she came to say that I duped her because she did not see the result of the spiritual job I did for her. I did not set out to dupe her or members of her household whom I prayed for. The total sum of money I collected from them was N528,000.

“I did not argue with her; I promised to refund money. Unfortunately for me, she reported me to the police, and when they came for me, they searched my house and found some pictures I took with a lawyer’s robe, wig and collar.

They asked whether I was a lawyer and I confessed to them that I was not. I only

went to secondary school and got to SSS3.

“I pray that God should forgive because I engaged in carnality while attending to spiritual issues. I told lies and pretended to be a lawyer by dressing like one.”

Responding to the question on why he wore lawyer’s dresses and took pictures in them, Ogunsami said: “I love the profession so much. I had wished to be a lawyer but there was no money, so I didn’t have the privilege of getting a university education.”

He disclosed that the robe, wig and bib at the high court premises at Ring Road, Ibadan almost a year ago.

Notorious robbery kingpin nabbed with gun in Oyo A robbery suspect, Momodu Raimi (22), reported to be a kingpin of a notorious armed robbery gang, and who had been on the wanted list of the police in Oyo State Police Command, has been arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives.

Disclosing this to newsmen on Tuesday, December 29, 2015, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said that Momodu was arrested at Mokola area of Ibadan on December 19, 2015 at about 9.30p.m., while planning with his gang members to go on robbery operation. The gang was said to have specialised in snatching motorcycles from owners at gun point.

The police commissioner also said that some of the members of Momodu’s gang are currently serving various jail terms or awaiting trial in Agodi Prisons, Ibadan. He added that police investigation led to the arrest of one Gafar Oseni, in whose possession four motorcycles suspected to have been stolen were recovered. Also recovered

CP Leye Oyebade (left) showing journalists the suspects and the exhibits recovered from them from Momodu were a locally-made pistol and two live cartridges and two unregistered.

Police sources informed Crime Reports that

Momodu was once mentioned in the killing of a night guard at Bodija area of Ibadan about two years ago. The late night guard, Chibike, who also

reportedly sold arms to the armed robbers, was allegedly killed by Momodu because the deceased collected N50,000 from Momodu to sell a gun to him,

while he also collected N100,000 from Momodu’s partner-in-crime, Ola. Chibike allegedly sold Continues pg 7

7

crimereports

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I came out of prison 6 months ago —Suspect nabbed with snatched car Stories by Oluwatoyin Malik

T

HOUGH Azeez Isah(26) came of the prison about six months ago, he is likely to be back there shortly, going by his involvement in another crime which led to his arrest on December 11, 2015.

Azeez was reportedly arrested in Okuta, Kwara State where he wanted to hibernate after a robbery operation in Saki, Oyo State. The Ilesa-Baruba indigene and three other gang members allegedly invaded the house of one Balogun (other name withheld) along Ilesa-Baruba road, Saki on Friday, December 11 and dispossessed him and his household of their valuables, including phones, N300,000 and an unregistered Toyota Corolla car at gun point.

Crime Reports learnt that before the armed robbers struck, Azeez had trailed the victim with a motorcycle to know where the vehicle would be parked. He reportedly got back to his gang members who laid an ambush for the victim when they did not meet him at home.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Leye Oyebade, while speaking on the arrest of the suspect, told Crime Reports that “through discreet investigation and credible intelligence, the Command’s Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) in Oyo/Ogbomoso axis immediately commenced investigation.”

He stated that Azeez was arrested in his hideout while the vehicle was recovered. “The arrested suspect confessed to the crime as well as his involvement in similar robbery operations within and outside the state,” Oyebade added.

Findings by Crime Reports revealed that Azeez was once arrested over the stealing of CFA33 million which was exchanged for N9million after the robbery. The suspect and his gang members were said to have broken into the car of a distant relation of Azeez who was running a bureau de change in Ilesa Baruba to steal the money.

The complainant reportedly withdrew the case from court after some months through the intervention of a traditional ruler, with a promise from the suspects that they

would repay the money in installments. Azeez had yet to pay his share of money before his recent arrest.

Crime Reports also gathered that while in prison, Azeez met some criminals awaiting trial, who gave him the contacts of robbery syndicate outside the prison wall. Immediately he left the prison, Azeez reportedly linked up with the criminals and started working with them.

The robbery syndicate were said to have carried out a robbery operation in Ondo State during which they dispossessed an owner of his Honda Accord car (Baby Boy). The car was reported to have been given to Azeez to dispose of, but was seized and kept in the

Azeez Isah police station at Ilesa Ba-

ruba when his former vic-

tim thought that he was enjoying himself without a thought on how to refund his stolen money; unknown to him and others that the car was stolen.

Crime Reports was reliably informed that other members of his gang with whom he operated in Saki had been arrested by Ondo State Police Command.

In an interview, Azeez denied following other gang members for the robbery operation. According to him, “my friends brought a car to me in Ilorin, Kwara State and asked me to take it to Abuja, unknown to me that it was snatched. I was on the way to Abuja when I was stopped by soldiers. I learnt that the police had called them ahead of me to give them information

about the car I was driving.

“I didn’t know that it was a stolen car; I only got to know after my arrest. The vehicle had no registration number; it was a Tokunbo vehicle.”

Answering a question on what he did for a living before his latest arrest, Yakubu said he used to help dealers to drive vehicles to designated parts of Nigeria to deliver them to buyers. “It was not too long that I came out of prison where I was awaiting trial. When I came out, I had no means of survival, and my friends said they would always call me to drive any vehicle they needed to take to other parts of the country.”

The police commissioner however that investigation into Azeez’s criminal activities would be ongoing.

We were lured into membership — Suspected cultists arrested with 2 guns A gang of suspected cultists, belonging to Black Axe Confraternity, and suspected to have been involved in the murder of one Tunde a.k.a Emer at Oke Aregba, Abeokuta recently, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command.

The suspects include Haruna Shoneye, Ganiyu Bello, Adegbola Yusuf, Kola Oshinaike and Ibrahim Oladeinde. Recovered from the suspects were an American Beretta pistol with defaced serial number, a locally-made double barrel pistol, three live cartridges and assorted charms.

Speaking on the arrest of the suspect, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, said the Special Anti Robbery Squad Abeokuta received information about the hideout of the suspected cultists on December 20, 2015 at about 3a.m. “A team of SARS operatives were detailed for the operation and they arrested the suspects,”

The suspected cultists the Commissioner stated, adding that efforts were on to track other members of the gang.

One of the gang members, Haruna (27) narrated his involvement thus: “I live at Lantoro, Abeokuta.

I joined Aye cult group in 2012. The guns I gave Ganiyu to keep were handed over to me by one Tolu a.k.a.T-Boy. He was living

at Ijeun-Titun. He is also a member of our cult group.

He called me one day and asked me to keep the guns for him. I told him I could not keep them; that was why I gave them to Ganiyu for safekeeping. And since I kept them with Ganiyu, I have never gone to ask for them, not to talk of using them.”

The suspect said that his

arrest had made him realize that there is nothing to gain in cultism except trouble.

In his confession, Ganiyu (27) also admitted being a member of the Black Axe Confraternity. “I am a member of Aye cult group.

I joined in 2012. I did not join the cult of my own freewill. It was an older friend in my neighbourhood who invited me to party.

Notorious robbery kingpin nabbed with gun in Oyo Continued from pg 6 the gun to Ola and did not refund Momodu’s money.

In an interview with the suspect, he confessed that he was taking some criminals out for robbery operation on the night he was arrested. But he said they belonged to the gang

of one notorious criminal called Apperito.

“What happened was that my friend, Apperito, asked me to take his gang members out to snatch motorcycle from their owners, few hours after my return from Lagos on the day I was arrested. Apperito came out of prison

recently, so I called him as soon as I arrived in Ibadan on the fateful day. It was while trying to carry out the operation that I was arrested by the police. My friend’s gang members ran away on sighting the police, dropping the gun they were holding.”

The suspect disclosed

that he had been arrested before over a ‘bail-able offence’. When asked to expatiate on what he meant by ‘bail-able offence’, Momodu said he was into snatching of motorcycles.

“I have been arrested twice before and sent to the prison. The gun found with me belonged to Apperito.”

“When we got there, some people pounced on me and started beating me.

It was after the beating that I was told that I had just gone through initiation and had become a member of the confraternity.

“Until the older friend left my neighbourhood, he used to threaten me not to renounce my membership of the cult group. I used to avoid him. But when I saw that I had no hiding place, I gave in and became an active member of the group.

“It is true that my cult group had a clash with another cult group at Lantoro, but I was not with them. I am a fashion designer, so I didn’t have the time to be following other cult members for rivalry clashes. And I learnt that no one died, though one person was injured,” Ganiyu explained.

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news

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

New Year: Mimiko’s wife donates gift to first baby of the year, others Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (middle), flanked by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo (left) and COWLSO member, Mrs. Landun Ogunbanwo (right), during the Cross Over Nite Service at the Chapel of Christ the Light, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja, on Friday.

85-yr-old man murdered in Oyo •Head, intestines, genital removed

By Oluwatoyin Malik

P

olice detectives from Oyo State Police Command are currently on the trail of murderer(s) of an 85-year-old man, Pa Raheem Oyeniyi, who was killed in the early hours of Thursday, December 31, 2015, in his house at Oke Apo area of Oyo town. gathered Information revealed that the headless body of the deceased was found in his house by his relations who went to check on him when they noticed that he was not in the mosque for Subhi prayers.

Closer look by the relations also revealed that late Pa Oyeniyi’s intestines and manhood were missing, while his scrotal sac was also emptied of its two testes.

Sunday Tribune learnt that the incident was reported at Durbar police station at about 7.30a.m by the Baale of Oke Apo community, Chief Waheed Oyeniyi and the deceased’s son, Afeez Oyeniyi.

One of the deceased’s nephew (names withheld), who is strongly suspected to be involved in the murder, was reported to have arrived Pa Oyeniyi’s house in the evening of December 30, 2015, and was ushered into the house by the deceased when he saw that he stayed outside.

Reports had it that the nephew was mentally unstable, while some other sources said that he was an Indian hemp addict. He had been nowhere to be found since the incident occurred.

Detectives from Durbar division reportedly moved to the scene and

took the corpse to the mortuary for autopsy and investigation.

But the family of the deceased reportedly insisted on the corpse being released to them for burial according to Islamic injunction, though they allowed the autopsy to be carried out.

The headless body was reportedly buried on Friday, January 1.

In what seemed to be a link with the murder, Sunday Tribune further gathered that police were alerted on Saturday, January 2, of a human head found in a river at Awe

community in Oyo. Policemen reportedly moved to the scene quickly to recover the head, which, it was learnt, had been deposited in the State Hospital at Oyo for possible identification by the deceased’s family and medical analysis.

Attempts by Sunday Tribune to speak with Chief Oyeniyi was rebuffed, as he said that the pain his family experienced by the gruesome killing of an elder in the family was enough for them to bear, without recourse to recounting the incident.

He added that as a chief

under the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, he was not in a position to speak without the approval of the monarch.

“We have accepted what has happened as our fate, but we believe that God will catch up with whoever perpetrated the killing,” Chief Oyeniyi stated.

Confirming the report of the killing, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Leye Oyebade, said that he had instructed that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Iyaganku, Department, Ibadan, for further investigation.

Why we’re passionate about education —Aregbesola The Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has said that the passion with which his administration pursued its goal in the education sector arose from the conviction that education is the fulcrum upon which life and living rest.

Governor Aregbesola stated this while receiving a 35-year-old compilation of past Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) questions and answers produced and presented to him by the leadership of the Coalition of All Progressives Supporters Group, at Government House, Osogbo.

The compendium contains past questions and answers of English and Mathematics from 1980 to 2015.

The Governor said only education can guarantee the improvement and betterment of human conditions.

According to him, a solid education guarantees perpetual and reliable succession and an assured future.

He said his government

is passionate about education as there can’t be improvement in the condition of the state if government fails to equip it’s upcoming generation and develop them to explore nature to its extreme possibilities so that it won’t be a threat to them.

He noted that in spite of the campaigns of calumny being orchestrated by certain individuals and group to discredit policies and programmes of his government, a group like the Coalition still believes and support the government.

Aregbesola said the gesture is highly impressive and will serve as an elixir for government to continue to do the utmost within its capacity to guarantee a better future for its youths.

“We are indeed passionate about education because there cannot be any improvement in our condition if we do not equip our upcoming generations.

“We are determined to

develop and equip them to be able to explore nature to the extreme possibilities so that nature will no longer be a threat to them.

“Education is life itself; it guarantees improvement and betterment of human conditions.

“Without education there is no succession. Education guarantees trustworthy and reliable succession. And no one will want destruction for his succession. This is while education occupies uppermost place in our heart,” Aregbesola said.

Earlier in his remark, the National Youth Leader of the Group, Comrade Mojeed Yaya, commended Governor Aregbesola’s commitment to education in the state.

Comrade Yaya also lauded Governor Aregbesola for making education available, accessible and attractive to all children in the state, saying his giant strides in education had broken the gap between the poor and the rich.

Wife of Ondo state Governor, Mrs Olukemi Mimiko, on Saturday, paid a visit to the State Specialist Hospital in Akure to celebrate and donate gift items to the first baby of the year, Baby Adewon, and the mother, Omoboyede Adewon.

She also donated gift items to the first baby born on Christmas Day, Oluwadare and many others.

Mrs Mimiko, who was accompanied by wife of the Deputy Governor, Alhaja Fatimat Oluboyo, and the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, among other top government functionaries, thanked God on behalf of her family and Ondo State people to have witnessed a wonderful 2015 and be alive to start the new year strong.

“We received over ten babies, all of them looking very healthy and fresh. It can only be the grace of God and we pray that they shall all be great. Ondo State in their time will indeed be great, peaceful and will move in leaps and bounds,” she said.

She was particularly appreciative of God’s hands in Ondo State’s achievement on maternal and child Health and further revealed her satisfaction in the 75 per cent reduction in maternal mortality ratio in the state.

The wife of the governor also decried a situation where children are abandoned for whatever reason and urged mothers to stop the ungodly act. According to her “every child is born different and he has the right to life and fulfil his God’s given potentials. No one woman, under any condition, should abandon the baby she carried for 9 months.”

Gov Bello salutes Justice Kutigi at 76 Adelowo Oladipo-Minna Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has congratulated the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, on the occasion of his 76th birthday.

In a press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, Governor Bello described the former Chief Justice as a towering judicial colossus, a moral crusader and a paragon of virtues in and outside the judiciary.

He noted, in particular, the exemplary leadership ability demonstrated by Justice Kutigi as the Chairman of the 2014 National Conference in Abuja, adding that the assignment was a selfless service to fatherland and humanity.

The governor, also noted that the intellectual capacity and vast experience of the legal luminary had enhanced the performance and established credibility within the judicial system in the country.

While wishing him happy birthday, long live and prosperity in good health, governor Bello, prayed Allah to continue to guide and protect the judicial giant whose contributions to the development of the state and country he described as immeasurable.

We’re repositioning Akwa Ibom for greatness —Gov Emmanuel Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has said that his administration is re-positioning the state for a sustainable development through industrialisation.

Emmanuel made the statement on Saturday in Uyo at a Solemn Assembly to usher the state into the New Year and re-dedicate Ibom Hall Grounds to God. “The assembly was organised to seek divine guidance and to invite God to superintend over the affairs of the state, he said, adding that it was also to seek God’s intervention for successful implementation of the programmes of his administration.

“We are committed to creatively harness the resources of the state to achieve the vision of wealth creation, employment generation and industrialisation. That is why we have to convoke the solemn assembly to seek divine guidance and invite God to superintend over the affairs of the state,’’ he said.

Emmanuel used the occasion to announce continuation of the free and compulsory education programme of the government. He also called on the people to rekindle the pride of brotherliness, love and unity.

“Reject in totality every antics of the enemy, particularly those devising means of taking the state back to the days of servitude.

“Akwa Ibom people cannot afford to be fooled again,’’ he added.

9

news

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Olubadan stool: Oyo govt insists on medical reports from Ladoja, others

By Tunde Ogunesan

T

wenty four hours after the elevation of nine High Chiefs of Ibadan by the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, the Oyo State government on Saturday insisted that the chiefs must submit certificates of medical fitness as well as undergo security screening.

This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to the governor, Mr Yomi Layinka, and made available to Sunday Tribune.

The stools of Balogun and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland became vacant following the death last November of the former occupants, High Chiefs Suleiman Omiyale and Omowale Kuye, necessitating the upward movement of nine high chiefs.

Others behind them are also expected to move up accordingly.

The state’s Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had on Thursday, December 31, 2015 directed authorities of Ibadan South East Local Government to advise the affected chiefs “to submit their medical reports issued by a state-owned secondary health institution to the ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters, as part of requirements for being considered for the vacant stools,” while the DSS had been asked to screen them.

But on Friday, the Olubadan-in-Council, against the position of the state government, promoted nine chiefs according to the tradition in the Olubadan of Olubadan lines.

However, reacting to the elevation of the chiefs, the state government, in the

statement signed by Layinka said: “The Government will take judicial notice of the matter and follow due process in its consequent actions. For now, the position of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs subsists as contained in its letter of 31st December, 2015. Any further developments will be made public as appropriate.”

Those promoted on Friday include High Chief Saliu A.O. Adetunji formerly the Otun Balogun, now the Balogun of Ibadanland; High Chief Senator Lekan Balogun, the former Osi Olubadan, promoted to the rank of the Otun Olubadan; High Chief Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin (Osi Balogun), now the Otun Balogun; High Chief Senator Rasidi Adewolu

Ladoja, promoted from Ashipa Olubadan to the rank of the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and High Chief Dr Olufemi Olaifa, who was promoted from Ashipa Balogun to Osi Balogun of Ibadanland.

Others are High Chief Sir Eddy Oduoye Oyewole, formerly the Ekerin Olubadan, now the Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadanland; High Chief Tajudeen Abim-

bola, formerly the Ekerin Balogun, now the Ashipa Balogun of Ibadan, High Chief Biodun Kola Daisi, the Ekarun Olubadan, now the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadanlan and High Chief Solomom A. Adabale, who was until yesterday the Ekarun Balogun, now the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland.

The state government in the letter had directed the

Wife of Ekiti State governor, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose holding the first baby of the year 2016. Beside her on the left is the baby’smother, Mrs Joseph Abiodun.

Arms cash for election: Another allegation by APC to silence Fayose —Aide Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

The allegation by Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, prosecuted his governorship election allegedly with his share of arms purchase cash from Col. Sambo Dasuki(retired), has been described as a ploy to silence Fayose from his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governor Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary Mr. Idowu Adelusi, who reacted to the

allegation, said the opposition APC in the state had all along been “whining about their loss of the election since the announcement of its result and won’t stop at anything in their attempt to discredit the election and bring down the winner, even after about two years since the polls.”

Adelusi was reacting to the allegation by the publicity secretary of Ekiti APC, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, in which he claimed that Fayose allegedly received N1.4billion from embattled

former National Security Adviser, Col Dasuki through “a former minister from the South-West, now at large, to prosecute the controversial Ekiti gubernatorial election of June 2014.”

Adelusi said the APC had thrived on propaganda, saying “the APC came to power through propaganda and they believe they can govern the people through propaganda but this isn’t possible because Nigerians are wiser.”

He said: “If the APC is sure of what it is saying and

has a very clear evidence, it should submit it to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) instead of making noise about.

“Let it be known to the APC that nothing can stop Governor Ayo Fayose from criticising the misrule and archaic policies of President Muhammadu Buhari. Fayose is prepared more than ever before to continue to represent the voiceless Nigerians and we cannot watch it and allow Buhari to turn Nigeria into a fascist state.”

chiefs to submit their “medical reports certifying them fit for the position positions in line with the extant chieftaincy titles” and also requested the “office of the Department of State Services to carry out security checks on the prospective occupants of the stools.”

The government position on the chieftaincy issue was conveyed in a letter by the Director of Chieftaincy Matters in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr. Z. O Jayeola, which was addressed to the Head of the Ibadan South East Local Government administration, on December 31, 2015.

According to the statement, “In strict compliance with the Chiefs Law of the state, the ministry has set machinery in motion to obtain the approval of the governor for the filling of the vacant tools, following a November 30 letter by the Ibadan South East LG on the subject matter.

“In line with Section 14 (2) Cap 28 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000, our ministry has commenced necessary steps towards the executive governor’s approval of the filling of the vacant stools of Balogun and Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land and seven others.

“In compliance with the dictates of the aforementioned law, the office of the Department of State Services had been requested to carry out security checks on the prospective occupants of the stools.

“In the same vein you are requested to advise the affected chiefs to submit their medical reports issued by a state-owned secondary health institution to the ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters as part of requirements for being considered for the vacant stools.”

War of words as fans react to Don Jazzy, Olamide’s Headies Awards clash

By Segun Adebayo And Seyi Sokoya

War of words have ensued between fans of YBNL boss, Olamide and Mavin boss, Don Jazzy following the failure of Olamide’s protege, Lil Kesh to win the Next Rated category of the annual Headies Awards which held in Lagos on January 1, 2016.

Olamide’s fans were shocked when Don Jazzy’s Mavin artiste, Reekado Banks was announced winner of the category that came with a brand new Hyundai SUV, a victory that left Olamide and his

team, YBNL fuming. Olamide believed that his act should have won the award as he had more hit singles released last year, compared to Reekardo’s.

Fans of the two artistes took to their Twitter handles to react to the award thus: “Two artistes that made the year 2015 a spectacle to behold in the music industry were surely Olamide and Don Jazzy. They made several hits with their separate labels and their signed artistes. They are owners of their own labels and they call the shots.”

Anonymous.

Kolapo Olapoju: “It’s official! Olamide and Don Jazzy have opened the chapter of a fresh music industry beef. Olamide’s artiste, Lil Kesh lost the Next Rated category to Don Jazzy’s artiste, Reekado Banks.”

Displeased Olamide, vented his anger on the stage, saying: “F**k that sh*t! The streets take over.

Every f**king single was a hit back. Lil Kesh is own Next Rated. From Shoki to Efejoku.” (raining expletives). He reportedly threw the mic away, splashed his drink on the stage and walked away to the shock

of many.

He had followed another member of his label, Adekunle Gold, to the stage where he took the mic and started using foul language to express his disappointment with the organisers and others. Adekunle won the award for Best Alternative act for his song entitled: ‘Shade’.

Jazzy, after collecting his ‘The lifetime Achievement Award’, said “I don’t like awards and I have told the organisers. We ought to be at Alibaba’s show, but I am here to support my children. Egbon Olamide, if you want the car, come and

take it.”

Comments on the ugly incident have prompted Olamide’s reaction to the matter, as he has apologised to fans for his conduct.

Olamide however, took to his Instagram handle to apologise on Saturday, saying he regretted his action and the damage it might have caused.

“I want to apologise to my fans for my conduct, including swearing on live TV at the Headies event some hours ago.

“I recognised that you all are most important part of my work and my journey so far. I would not have

come this far without you.

I promise to conduct myself in a more respectable manner in future.”

About an hour later, Kesh also congratulated Reekado. “Congrats on your next rated award @ReekadoBanks. This will not be the end for both of us, more blessings and nothing but love,” he twitted. The winner also responded to the congratulatory message: “Thanks Kesh. #YouAreTheMan.” Don Jazzy and his crew have, however, kept quiet on Olamide’s rants as well as his apology on the social media.

10

feature

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Women fighting Boko Haram: ‘We came for you, you have to follow me’

A woman lifts her veil as she is searched by a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force in Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Photo: Sunday Alamba/AP

By Alexis Okeowo (The New Yorker)

F

ATIMA Muhammed had taken a quick break from the canteen she runs in Maiduguri, a rambling city in northeastern Nigeria, but she was still fielding calls from demanding customers.

Dressed in a maroon hijab, she would put her phone down, only to have to pick it up again a few minutes later.

We were at the house of her former commander, Abba Aji Kalli, who ran a sector of the Civilian Joint Task Force (C.T.J.F.), a vigilante group battling Boko Haram, in Maiduguri and its environs. Muhammed is the sole female member of the sector, and one of less than fifty women in C.T.J.F., which is said to have about ten thousand fighters and is known for being more effective than the Army, and increasingly powerful.

Still, more than a thousand people have died from Boko Haram attacks since President Muhammadu Buhari took office at the end of May. And more than a hundred people have been killed in northern Nigeria after multiple explosions since October, several of them by suicide bombings set off by girls under the age of fifteen. (Officials believe that many of the female bombers were forced to detonate themselves). Over a six-year insurgency, Boko Haram has forced two million Nigerians from their homes, with upwards of one million refugees in Maiduguri, according to Doctors Without Borders, and hundreds more refugees coming each week, leaving rural outposts vulnerable to attacks.

“They will kill you, they will kill everyone you know,” Muhammed said, of Boko Haram. “That’s what motivated me to join the C.T.J.F.” Three years ago, the group killed a close friend of hers, a man who was like a father to her. So, even before the C.J.T.F. started up, in 2013, she began working as a community informant, passing on intelligence about neighbors whom she suspected to be Boko Haram members to the military. When she learned of the formation of the C.J.T.F., she was impressed with their initiative and decided to sign up. Muhammed was twenty-four at the time. Her duties are few—frisking women coming into crowded public events, like religious festivals, and apprehending female suspects in their homes—but dangerous. She doesn’t carry any weapons.

Muhammed was scared when she first started, Kalli said, but now she told me with a dismissive bravado, “I’m not

afraid at all.”

The C.J.T.F. was a “reaction to both the activities of the insurgents and the military,” Kaka Shehu Lawan, the justice commissioner of Borno State, of which Maiduguri is the capital, told me. In the past, after an attack, “once the military comes, they will not spare or investigate anybody, they will start shooting and molesting the innocent passersby. The C.J.T.F. felt they—and their fathers—were being punished for crimes they had not committed.” He argued that the group was in the best position to root out Boko Haram. “These miscreants are living among us,” he said. “The youth know them.” When officials with the Borno State government learned about the civilian fighters, in 2013, they invited the C.J.T.F. leadership to a meeting of their security council, headed by the governor.

C.J.T.F. leaders were asked about their mission and practices—“in order to avoid breeding another militia,” Shehu Lawan said—and they responded that they only wanted to apprehend terrorists and hand them over to the military. Faced with a worsening crisis, the security council was satisfied with that explanation and recognized the group as a “voluntary organization.”

The government gave the vigilantes vehicles, uniforms, and stipends on the condition that they participated in a training program run by the Army. But this year, the Army had to halt the program in order to convert the training site into a refugee camp, after training only about twenty-eight hundred of the more than ten thousand C.J.T.F. fighters. I asked Shehu Lawan if the vigilantes’ documented human-rights abuses—which include arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings—were still a problem. He told me that the reports of abuses weren’t true, that they were just “propaganda.” Shehu Lawan admitted that his office had received complaints from people who said the vigilantes had violated their rights, but said this wasn’t a systematic problem. “They use sticks, they are more or less civilians,” he went on, either oblivious or indifferent to the fact that many of the vigilantes carry cheap, locally made guns.

Out of the some sixty suspects whom the C.J.T.F. has apprehended from Muhammed’s neighborhood, near the local oil company depot, over the past two years, several of them were women. (“Of course women are part of Boko Haram,” Kalli said.) When I entered the neighborhood recently, residents had tied barricades of bright

rope across several of the narrow, sandy streets to prevent suicide bombers from getting too close to the local mosque. After they checked your car they would lower the rope and let you pass. Kalli and his men, like most Maiduguri residents, are Muslim, and under the precepts of Islam cannot enter the homes of women they do not know. So they send Muhammed in to confront alleged female terrorists who have been brought to their attention through tips from other vigilantes or residents. She surveys the house before approaching, then enters what is most often an open compound occupied by an extended family, without a weapon, carrying a description of the woman she is arresting. “We came for you, you have to follow me,” Muhammed tells the woman, insisting even when the suspect denies having any affiliation with the Islamists. Eventually, most of the women cover themselves and agree to leave.

It’s harder to do this work as a woman, Muhammed admits; she feels more vulnerable if something were to go wrong. Her family in her home village of Gamboru Ngala, ninety miles outside Maiduguri, wants her to stop. “But I have no option,” she said. Boko Haram is now in a weaker position than when the C.J.T.F. was formed.

Last winter, the Nigerian Army, with considerable aid from Chadian troops, reclaimed most of the towns and villages that had been seized by Boko Haram, and in 2015 the Army rescued hundreds of women and children that Boko Haram had held hostage. Now, under President Buhari, soldiers appear to be better armed and more willing to raid Boko Haram camps than ever before, according to the vigilantes.

I asked Shehu Lawan what would happen to the vigilantes should they not be needed anymore. He spoke of training them to become farmers, firefighters, and vehicle inspection officers, and integrating them into the armed forces and state security agency. But not long ago, Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was widely quoted as saying that he feared the vigilantes, many of whom are unemployed, could turn into a “monster.” When I asked Shettima about that comment, he said that more context was needed: “Unless deliberate efforts are made towards addressing issues of unemployment, illiteracy, hunger and extreme poverty,” he told me, “the C.J.T.F. will be the Frankenstein monsters that might end up consuming us.”

Source: www.newyorker.com/news

11

interview

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

What the late Obalufe told me —Son

Prince Ayokunle Omisakin, a Brazil-based psycho spiritualist and Ifa Orunmila evangelist who is also the son of the late Obalufe of Ife, Oba Folorunsho Omisakin, speaks with ABIODUN AWOLAJA on Yoruba traditional religion and sundry issues. Excerpts:

A

through force. We need purity and persuasive measures to attain peace. That culture of persuasion should begin at the individual level. We should begin to persuade our children at home rather than beating them like cows. Our educational pressure and burden should be reduced greatly.

Students should go through the psychology of learning rather than force.

The Nigerian police force should be changed to The Nigerian Police. Orphanage home should be changed to Home of LOVE. Many Nigerian commissions, including crime and corruption commissions, should use persuasive and romantic language rather than forceful and fearful language.

Then, neatness should be introduced to our physical environment. Some of our physical environment stinks to the heavens. This will change our minds a great deal and will take us to purity and peace .

S a son of Oba Folorunsho Omisakin,the late Obalufe of Ife, what would you say was unique about your father?

There was nothing unique about my late father except that he was a spiritualist. He used to tell me that his mission to the world was just like a contract given by God and when he finished the contract, he would leave. He was a wise man. He was an orator and a solution finder. He showed me the depth of his spirituality and this might have been transfered to me. He refused to be rich when he was surrounded by rich people. I think he was unique in this sense.

You are an apostle of Ifa religion at the international level. What led you into this?

I was born into a traditional family. I have always known that the truest way to get to God is through the religion of purity, which is Ifa religion. Believe me, inferiority complex led me abroad.

As a believer in Ifa, many people around you see you as representing nothing. Some even see you as evil when you come out to say you an Ifa evangelist. The noise and cosmetics of Christianity were so fierce that I never talked about Ifa religion to anybody when I was a student in the Obafemi Awolowo University. Not that I was ashamed, but I felt inhibited by the fact that the people had already made up their minds, so there was no need telling them about the religion of purity. Again, some would come to me in my father›s palace then to seek spiritual assistance under the cover of night. There are so many hypocrites around us till now. So, when I travelled to Brazil four years ago, I was able to find expression for this religion of purity.. About 45 per cent of Brazilians are believers of ifa Orunmila..

Are you saying you were unable to get yourself into the public space in Nigeria as an apostle of Ifa religion?

Well, I was able to because my father was in the public space as a traditionalist. But his rule was that no true religion was worth enforcing on others. So I do not need the public space to find peace with my neighbours and God. You said Ifa is the religion of purity, but many people may not share that belief with you. They see Yoruba traditional religion as complete evil and archaic.

Look, Ifa is the only religion through which the world can find peace. There are a lot of people who are doing the wrong things today because they abandoned the ancestral truth. It is so sad when I see people seeking wealth rather than seeking God. They go to evil people to seek wealth and power and they pay dearly for it. Ifa is on the positive side always. Get it right.

A Babalawo does not help you to be wealthy. So, when you get to an evil man in your village who performs some rituals on you to make you rich, the person is not

Prince Ayokunle Omisakin

a Babalawo and he has nothing to do with the religion of purity, which is Ifa. So, when you go to a poor man to make you rich, you know what you are bargaining for. God does not give sudden wealth. He gives peace.

So if you seek happiness in wealth,you are on the wrong side of the essence of your being. So if anybody sees the value and essence of my being, which i find sufficiently in Ifa religion, as evil and archaic, that person is completely ignorant. There is no justice in any religion except in Ifa religion. Justice in my religion is as rapid as fire. And God answers our prayer according to our conscience. I do not repeat a prayer twice. When I ask something from God, He gives me the next day and when God refuses to give, I do not ask again because I believe it is not meant to be.

Our prayer is direct in Ifa religion. I seek God in purity and I see him daily. Conventionally, the church is meant for the teaching of Biblical rules, not for prayer. The best prayer temple is your mind. I feel bitter when I see Nigerians shouting in the church that God should give them wealth, prosperity, and kill their enemies. So, where is the teaching? People’s mind needs to change before their lives could be changed. God has no temple, God has no mosque.

There is no house of God anywhere except your mind.

Are you saying people should not gather together to worship God? I am not saying that. What i am simply saying is that we should find ourselves first before we find GOD. People should worship God but I am insisting that God has no Church or any temple where you can find him except your mind. You are

the true picture of the God you seek to know. If you seek your own God in the one that kills your enemy and gives wealth and prosperity, that is your God. I seek the god of purity and peace. No enemy would hate purity: my enemy can only be afraid of me. Contentment is in purity. So, wealth or riches are irrelevant to me. When you get to this spiritual state, you will only live by the essence of your being.

A lot of people have abandoned this religion of yours...

Nobody abandoned Ifa religion. Many of those who claim to be Muslims and Christians go to Babalawo more than we traditionalists. So who is fooling who? If you find peace, you do not need to go about from one spiritual house to the other. Despite thousands of years of condemning Yoruba traditional religion, the religion is growing across the globe. I have students and followers in Brazil, cuba , Argentina and Paraguay. Today, those who were calling ESU, (the god of justice and nemesis) Satan now beg us abroad to help them mount Esu in their private temples. If God hates Ifa religion, it would have long been phased out with such powerful campaign of calumny that came with Christianity.

Poverty and our lack of goodwill to seek God are responsible for religious inconsistency in Africa. That is why, this psychospiritual teaching about African, nay ifa religion, should be brought back home.

How can people attain purity?

You can never find peace in whatever you seek by spiritual or social force or any form of force. Nigeria is a nation formed

How do you pray and worship God in Ifa? First and foremost,your respiration matters to God. As I said earlier, you are the God you seek to know. You can not pray to God with a dirty mouth. The first thing I do is to get myself clean and then talk to my God from the depth of my mind.

Again, I do not use one cloth twice as a traditionalist. I give my apartment and my little private temple in Brazil intensive cleaning once in a week. I do not sleep on a dirty bed. I do not use one underwear for 12 hours. You can not be 100% neat but you should be as neat as possible in order to get closer to the true God. God hates dirt. So, when you are praying to God with a stinking mouth and smelly body,this is certainly reflective of your spirituality.

Your body has to give you peace first before you can find peace with God. Do you pray in the name of Orunmila or God? I make my prayer in Yoruba: even when I pray to God as the supreme being, I still have orunmila in mind. And when I pray in the name of orunmila, I still have God in my mind. What matters is my prayer getting answered.

You evidently perform some forms of rituals for your clients in Brazil and Nigeria...

I perform rituals as laid down in our traditional worship. The word ritual should not bring up the picture of killing or shedding blood. When you invite people to a party to come and dine and wine with you, it is a form of ritual. When you lose your parents and you still call people to come and dine and wine with you in the name of funeral ceremony, you are performing a core Yoruba traditional ritual. Every sacrifice you make is a ritual.

When you sacrifice a dog to Ogun (god of iron) it is a ritual. Note that In Brazil, it is illegal to kill any domestic animal or even wild animal. So, over there, you do not say you want to make sacrifice to Ogun with a dog, lest you go to jail. In that clime, what we do during our Ogun festival is to use palm oil in the place of the blood of a dog.

12

feature

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

A look back at Ebola More than 11,000 people died from Ebola in West Africa

Photo: Aurelie Marrier d’Unienville/IRIN

By Jennifer Lazuta (IRIN)

T

HE past year has been a roller coaster ride for West Africa, with Ebola coming and going and coming and going, and then coming once again.

But now, after nearly two years battling the deadly virus, the region finally seems to be Ebola-free.

None of the three countries most affected – Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone – has had an active case since midNovember.

Experts warn that there will likely be a re-emergence of Ebola at some point, but governments, health workers, communities and aid agencies all say they are now better prepared to stop any new flare-ups.

The region may enter 2016 Ebola-free, but the impact of the outbreak is still being felt by many. More than 28,600 people were infected and 11,315 died. Hundreds of thousands more lost jobs or loved ones or had their lives in some way turned upside down. Economic losses totalled an estimated $1.6 billion in 2015 alone, according to the World Bank. Kids finally returned to school this year after months of disrupted classes, but the long-term impact on children and education won’t be known for years to come. And, despite waning stigma, not all survivors or Ebola workers have been accepted back into their communities.

IRIN has covered the ups and downs of the outbreak from the start, as far back as March 2014. Here’s a look back at a selection of our Ebola stories from the past year: The good Before the Ebola outbreak, many Guineans used to rely solely on local medicine men or “féticheurs” to treat their various ailments and illnesses. But as local communities watched both their people and traditional healers die from Ebola – their powers apparently not strong enough to combat the virus – more and more of the sick began

taking the advice of health workers and seeking out care from licensed doctors and nurses.

For a long time after the outbreak began, families were forbidden from holding traditional funerals, due to fears the events would help spread the virus. They thought they’d never be able to give their loved ones a proper goodbye. But as more and more communities were declared Ebola-free this year, and public gatherings resumed, many finally got that chance.

A great number of Ebola survivors, particularly early on in the outbreak, lost their jobs, were excluded from community events, and were often even shunned by their own families. But thanks to large-scale education campaigns, many are now being welcomed back home.

The bad West Africa is known for its friendly, personal interactions – even among strangers. But Ebola, which is transmitted through bodily contact, changed all that. Too afraid to get too close to anyone, many people gave up their most common practice: the handshake.

Guinea’s Gueckedou region, where the outbreak began, was declared Ebola-free in January 2015. But this photo feature and reportage from IRIN West Africa Editor Jennifer Lazuta show how, months later, the extent of the damage was only just starting to be realised.

Things in Sierra Leone and Liberia were looking up mid-year: unemployment was down for the first time since the outbreak began and schools had reopened after nine months of closure. But many families said they still didn’t have enough to eat and malnutrition rates among children under the age of five remained high. Just 10 percent of students initially returned to class, according to Save the Children. Many were too afraid; others had already turned to selling goods on the street, in order to support their families.

The ugly Some 17,000 people are believed to have survived Ebola in West Africa. But their ordeal is far from over. More than half say they are suffering from debilitating joint pain, headaches, and fatigue, and at least 25 percent have experienced some degree of change in vision, with many now close to being blind, according to the World Health Organization. Their healthcare options remain limited.

More than 20,000 Liberians risked their lives to bury the dead during the Ebola outbreak. Many left their former jobs to help contain the virus. Others simply volunteered their time. Now, due to ongoing stigma, they are unable to find new work. Burial workers in Sierra Leone faced a similar fate: months after the last Ebola case was found, volunteers were still being shunned by their families and communities.

Nearly 6,000 children in Liberia lost either one or both parents to Ebola. While many found loving homes with friends, family or neighbors, not all were so lucky.

Liberia was in dire need of doctors and nurses before the Ebola outbreak began. Then, more than 200 health workers died from Ebola. Now, at a time when the country needs new staff at clinics more than ever, many Liberians say they are too afraid to enter medicine. In Sierra Leone, where more than 220 health workers died from Ebola, many worry about the impact on pregnant women.

The World Bank has warned that the country’s maternity mortality rate could increase by up to 74 percent because of the Ebola crisis.

Looking forward The WHO has vowed to reform following widespread criticism of its delayed and “inadequate” response to the Ebola outbreak. WHO’s newly appointed regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, says the organisation has learnt lessons and become stronger after making changes, but health experts say there is still a long way to go.

13 Continued from

‘I

3 January, 2016 last week

N regard to introduction of foreign capital, it is my humble but considered opinion that a subject and poor but potentially rich country like ours would be taking enormous and almost suicidal risk to throw its door open to foreign investments without stringent safeguards. We would most probably enjoy a measure of comparative prosperity in the immediate present, but we would eminently succeed in mortgaging our future in the way of economic initiative and freedom. It has been wisely stated that political independence and economic spoon- feeding go ill together.

Too much dependence economically, it requires drastic and even revolutionary political action to attain economic independence.

‘Under this heading, I do not wish to attempt any detailed proposals. All I wish to do is to make suggestions about the setting up of machinery by which the Nigerian Government and the three Regional Governments could work out satisfactory and generally acceptable proposals for the economic development of the country.

Therefore, I suggest the immediate setting up of a Nigerian Planning Commission, and of a Regional Planning Board for each Region.

‘The main functions of the Planning Board would be to make a survey of the economic resources of the territory under its charge, and make plans and recommendation about the best form of their utilisation; and (b) to institute measures for the execution of such of its plans and recommendations are approved by the Planning Commission.

‘On the other hand, the functions of the Planning Commission would be: a) to co-ordinate and harmonise the plans submitted by the Planning Boards, (b) to determine locations of industries, (c) to lay down categories of industries as it is done by the government of Pakistan, (d) to regulate the manner in which foreign investors would be permitted to engage in industries, and to devise means by whihch indigenous industries would be stimulated, financed, and protected.

‘The supreme aim of the Planning Commission and the Board would be to revise the economic status of the peasant class, to achieve a balanced economy, and to bring about an all- round prosperity for the people of Nigeria.

“The Action Group believes that free enterprises should

Awo’s thoughts VOICE OF REASON

Call to rededication and reconstruction A statement made at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council of the Action Group of Nigeria, held at Ikeja VIP, on 18th December, 1961.

In short, the aim of the Action Group is, for the present, to arrest the tendency of our industrial activities being concentrated in the hands of foreigners, and, in the long run, to ensure that all major industrial activities are either vested in the state or in our fellow countrymen

Sunday Tribune

be encouraged and fostered within such limits as will be laid down by law, but it advocates the public ownership of basic industries. It is not necessarily opposed to the importation of foreign capital but insists that such capital shall be introduced into the country only on the basis of partnership with, and active participation by the people or the government of the country. Keeping the principle in mind, the Action Group dedicates itself to fashion out and pursue any economic policy that will ensure prosperity and contentment to the citizens of Nigeria.’

In an address entitled ‘Statement of Economic Policy’ which I delivered to the Western Region Executive Committee of the Action Group at Ibadan on 27th May, 1954, I made the following remarks: ‘At this stage, I will now restate what I know to be our policy on this question of industrialisation and foreign capital. 1.) We are determined to raise the productivity of our farmers by the introduction of scientific methods of cultivation, and conservation of soil fertility, etc., and expand our output of farm produce by this means and by the establishment of Government-owned plantations.

2.) We are determined to diversify our agricultural economy by the cultivation of a larger variety of crops than at present, in order that we may cease to be dependent on one or two items of export products.

3.) We will embark on industrialisation on a limited scale in so far as it is compatible with the two objectives above stated. 4.) We will welcome foreign capital so long as it enters into partnership with indigenous capital provided either by Production Boards, the Government or the people, in such a proportion that at least 51 per cent of the total capital is vested in us. 5.) Wherever possible and advisable, we will seek to control the whole capital ourselves and make use of the skilled labour and organisation which foreigners alone can at present provide.

6.) In the future we will seek to nationalise such of the existing industries controlled in this country by foreigners as we deem expedient in the national interest. But such- nationalisation will be accompanied by adequate compensation.

‘In short, the aim of the Action Group is, for the present, to arrest the tendency of our industrial activities being concentrated in the hands of foreigners, and, in the long run, to ensure that all major industrial activities are either vested in the state or in our fellow countrymen.’

To be continued

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14

voxpop

3 January, 2016

Should loudspeakers be used for religious vigils?

The average Nigerian, no doubt, has enough troubles trying to eke out a living everyday, given the stress of moving about. However, finding rest at night becomes a herculean task, considering the growing amount of noise emanating from worship centres holding vigils with loudspeakers.

TEMITAYO ILIASU, HANNAH SASODJE and YETUNDE TIJANI went to town to ask Nigerians their opinions.

MR J.O. OLUKOKUN It should be moderated, regardless of your religion. It causes noise pollution and this disturbs the peace of the people. The volume should be reduced to the barest minimum so that it won’t disturb those who are sleeping in their houses. We cannot say the government should ban the use of speakers for vigils but it should be done moderately.

ALHAJA OLAYINKA SANNI

Sunday Tribune

I do not support the idea because it distracts people’s attention; it will not be easy for students that read in the midnight to concentrate

ADEROJU ADENIYI There are different types of pollution, one of which is noise pollution. What I am trying to say is that, these loudspeakers disturb those asleep and also distracts those that read in the night. If they hold vigils, then you are praying for yourself. Why then will you disturb me while I am sleeping? So far the noise is kept within you, I don’t care.

ADIO ABIMBOLA

It is very bad and it also makes people who are asleep in their houses very uncomfortable. The noise is detrimental to the health of people living in such environment, especially those who are hypertensive. Therefore the use of loudspeakers for vigils in worship places should be stopped.

I support the use of speakers because it will make the people hear what the pastor is saying.

MRS OLUWATOMISIN FAMUYIWA Using loudspeaker for vigils in residential areas is very wrong; the noise itself is very disturbing. If at all they have to use it, it should be limited to within the worship areas without disturbing those asleep.

KOMOLAFE FOLUSO I do not agree with the use of loudspeakers during vigils because it is noise pollution, and it disturbs people.

MARY ZINPE Personally, I think the use of loudspeakers for vigil is very disturbing, especially if it is used in residential areas. They keep shouting during these vigils and they keep disturbing the people in that area. The noise should be minimal so that it won’t disturb the residents of that area.

OLAJIDE OLAJUMOKE I will say using loudspeakers during vigils is not wrong but when you have to tune it loud thereby disturbing the peace of the people, then it is wrong.

I sincerely think all these religious houses should be soundproof so that they won’t disturb others.

TITI MOSHOOD It is bad because it inconveniences those asleep in their houses. It constitutes sleepless night for those living in that environment.

AKINTOKUN OLARANWAJU I do not support the idea because it distracts people’s attention; it will not be easy for students that read in the midnight to concentrate.

MR LAWAL RIDWAN OLABISI I do not see anything wrong or bad with the use of speakers during vigils. I will only advise them to use it when necessary and they should consider the condition of the people in the environment.

USMAN ANIMASHAUN It is not wrong at all if loudspeakers are used for vigils. As long as it is not in residential areas, I’m cool with it.

15

3 January, 2016

homes&interior s r

Get a wooden appeal for the New Year

W

OODEN flooring is suitable for any house styles such as traditional, classic, modern, and ethnic or whatever you name it. This is flexible at any time, style and situation. There are two types of wood flooring: Engineered wood flooring We can get a solid wood flooring from this type. This type is also called a multi-layered floor. It is almost the same like solid wood, however, it has certain sizes and thickness.

The upper part is coated by certain type of protection so that it will not easily absorb any dust or dirt.

Imitation Not all “fake wood� is bad. An imitation of wood flooring could be a good solution for us. The price is cheaper and the durability is almost the same like the engineered wooden floor.

The best quality of the imitation wood flooring is fireproof, waterproof and scratchproof. It is your choice, and the choice is what your budget said.

The tile or floor is made originally from wood. The shape is usually like a panel that has a slot for easy installation. Solid wooden floor is thicker than the other two types.

However, it is difficult to find solid wooden floor and surely it is more expensive. Wooden floors are more natural, durable and the natural fiber is more visible. The colours, after a for long time use, will look dim...

Wooden floors surely bring to natural feeling.

It makes the area warm even during winter or rainy seasons. The characteristic of wood is absorbing the heat during daytime and release it at night.

More comfortable for our foot.

It is easy to get porous.

Untreated wood flooring is causing the wood easy to get porous due to dampness or humidity. If so, the wood will smell bad.

The wooden flooring is easy to get swelled or shrunk due to an extreme weather conditions.

The untreated wooden flooring will not be easy to be cleaned in cased we drop ink or alike. The liquid will be absorbed by the

wood.

The untreated wood flooring has to be cleaned on regular basis, or else, the fiber will be den of diseases and bacteria.

It has been few years ago, people start focusing on natural and green concerns or we can say it is back to nature. It happens also for house decoration. Today, many people use wood flooring for their house.

Maintaining wooden floors Treat the wood flooring with permethrin to protect from insects.

1. When installing the wooden floor, use a vertical and horizontal combination to prevent any swells.

2. Use a slipping agent to reduce the slipperiness.

3. Clean the floor regularly. Mop the floor as soon as any liquid drops on it.

Are you an interior decorator?

Advertise on our offline (page) and online platforms

Sunday Tribune

Remi Anifowose And Seyi Sokoya oluremi_anifowose@yahoo.com seyi_sky@yahoo.com 09090652322, 08141986123 08075166585

16

3 January, 2016

S

ELF-THUMBING seemingly offends humility.

But nothing rules out exceptional contexts. The dizzying pace with which humanity is yielding its essence of oneness to individualism founded on needful parochialism, has further decriminalised the (im)morality of self-celebration. But the context here isn’t even that extreme.

A body that should know, as a competent industry watcher, said so; Nigerian Tribune is one of the three best newspapers in Nigeria. The brains behind the picking and shuffling of entries for and winners of the Nigerian Media Merit Awards, without doubt, are the best one can get anywhere in the industry in Nigeria and Africa. And this is without magnification. At the last edition of the awards known as the Oscars of Nigeria media, Nigerian Tribune had nine nominations; arguably the highest and undoubtedly unprecedented in the company’s annals, including the Editor, Reporter and Editorial of the Year. Essentially, newspapering’s main components are news reporting (that is why it is called News Paper), editing and editorialising. Others are mere spicing. In all the major components, Nigerian Tribune was one of the three finalists. Yes, we won three other spicing and none of the majors at the last week’s event in Lagos, but being recognised among the best three in newspaper total package is tantalising enough, even without going into the rigours of picking the pick of the pack. And to think this was just on the heel of a continental recognition.

Without doubt, 2015 was great for us at Tribune House, despite the general and isolated industry challenges. It isn’t impossible to find sniggers around, asking what we are really celebrating. After all, Tribune is the oldest in the industry and should be the natural leader; it can be argued. Awards also don’t translate into instant success or expansion of business frontiers; such can also be a valid watering down. A couple of newspapers won such awards in recent past and went under the next moment; that can also be a squirming taunt and indubitable reality check. But it is obvious that a Methuselahian age would be a hollow greying without Solomonic understanding of the trade. Catching up with X-generation media practice also requires feeling young at heart. That was what the youthful and energetic leadership of Edward Dickson (is he really youthful at 53?) did right to be in the klieg-light

THE dawn of a New Year provides individuals and organisations an occasion to review their activities and make projections for the ensuing year. This is the secret behind the success of many persons and groups. Failure to observe this is also responsible for the failing of many. Those who don’t embark on self-appraisal with a view to making amends where necessary remain stagnant for a while before the inevitable decline sets in. Those who assess themselves get better because they do new things that give them different results.

Nigerians are a religious lot. Consequently, when there are issues that demand taking the bull by the horn, our leaders wax religious and seek refuge in eliciting hope in the citizenry through the deployment of sweet words. But they forget that hope is not a strategy. It is when a strategy is in place that there can be hope for a change. But the irony of the Nigerian situation is that we have turned hope into a strategy.

No situation has ever changed as a consequence of a people merely hoping for a change. All the changes the world has ever known happened because some people took action.

One area in which Nigeria needs to take action is with respect to carving a National Dream. I am fully persuaded that the divisive tendencies that seem to be our lot as a nation are a reaction to the lack of a dream to which we all can aspire. The agitation for the resuscitation of Biafra, the Boko Haram crisis, the threats by Niger Delta militants and so on, are not because of our ethnic or religious differences, they are a result of the absence of a national dream. There is nothing that pulls the people to the nation; there is no national agenda that is greater than their tribal or religious affiliation. Since nature abhors a vacuum; where there is no dream, there will be hallucination. So, they choose to give vent to something in their community that has been able to arrest their attention. This is why integration has become quite difficult in the country. The antidote to regional or religious agitation is a definite and definitive Nigerian Dream.

National integration is built around a dream that is greater, better and superior to ethnic or tribal dreams. The American society is an integrated one because there is an American Dream which is far better than the African-American,

0811 695 4647

olanreade@yahoo.com

Tribune: One of best

triumvirate

of major nominations and on podium of celebration.

My immediate example of winning awards and getting awarded with public confidence will be Channels TV. 10 times better than others and it is the preferred destination today. I can also add CNN; scooping awards and global expansion. Those who won and went under?

I hope they won fair. Awards should also make the oars roaring more. That is the plan at Tribune. I also hope such affected awardees didn’t stay too long on eureka.

I caught a wise line from Channels boss, John Momoh while popping the champagne for being the best last time. “Let us work as if we had never won any award”

With Sulaimon Olanrewaju 08055001708

lanresulaimon@yahoo.com

It’s time for the Nigerian Dream

Hispanic-American, Jewish-American or any other tribal American aspiration. Therefore, it is not difficult for all Americans to subjugate their primordial considerations for the national dream. In spite of their differences, Americans are united around the American Dream. Nigerian leaders should also come out with a Nigerian Dream.

I have searched the archives but I have yet to find a docu-

Sunday Tribune

he told his staff. The motivation delivered a 10th. Even my Daddy in heaven gives awards and they are always for advancement. It was close for my boss as Editor of the Year. Alhaji Debo Abdulai should just hold on tightly to the tilling implements and not engage in Lot’s wife’s indulgence. The Word of God says no one that looks back will qualify for the ultimate prize. Keep paying the price.

It shall soon be.

Atiku’s largesse and Bindoism.

Governor Jubrilla Bindo of Adamawa State was savaged last week for publicly confessing to dumping his predecessor, Murtala Nyako for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar after the latter ‘dashed’ him N500 million for campaign. What do you expect with the way the news platform that broke the story couched the headline? Just about one commentator saw his disclosure as a testimony and gratitude. He reportedly spoke when Atiku’s kith visited him. I guess he is an excitable fellow who loses control of the tongue when he experiences a paroxysm of endorphin. If he carries the mindset of “dogs and journalists are not wanted here”, he could go on rocking Yola as if nothing happened with the poor PR delivery. But I figure he should worry.

Beyond the immediate portrayal of having a price, will his benefactor be at ease in these days of Buhari chasing everyone with billions around (the giver of half billion dash must be a billionaire)? Now, that lobbyists know Bindo’s oracle, won’t they just flock to the man he can’t say no to, piling patronage pressure on the state finances?

Who can the governor now convince of Atiku’s daughter getting her commissioner job on merit? With Bindo’s open confession of indebtedness to Turaki Adamawa, can he in good conscience exercise executive control over her benefactor’s daughter in moments of indiscretion? What about campaign funding laws which this “dash” offends in all provisions? This is a self-splashed mess Bindo must clear and fast too. But this Turaki sef!

LAST LINE: Joel 2:23--”Be glad then, ye children of Zion (Nigeria) and rejoice in The Lord your God, for He hath given you the former rain moderately and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain in the First Month”. I decree a fattened 2016.

ment containing the Nigerian vision or dream. In Nigeria, there is no national vision. There is nothing known as ‘the Nigerian Dream.’ What this presupposes is that there is no specific goal that all Nigerians are working towards, no concerted effort to take the country to a pre-determined future, no definite activity to inculcate in the people certain beliefs that will engender the right kind of attitudes which will fast track our development as a country. I am aware that each government that we have had in the recent past came with specific things that it wanted to achieve; Obasanjo harped on economic reform, Yar’Adua’s focus was observing the rule of law, Jonathan was particular about transformation and President Muhammadu Buhari has declared a war against corruption, but those are not qualified to be regarded as the national vision or goal; they are mere tags by which each of the leaders wanted to be identified. What will Nigerians be identified by that will have a positive effect on the country?

What we had that was close to a national vision was the mantra introduced by former Information Minister, Mrs Dora Akunyili, ‘Good People, Great Nation,’ but it lacked the proper articulation to transform it into a national goal.

But what were we supposed to do to become a good people and our country a great nation? The former minister forgot to tell us.

Whatever else President Buhari achieves, without working towards national integration, which is a consequence of carving a national dream, it will not amount to much. The hindrance to the manifestation of Nigeria’s greatness is lack of a Nigerian Dream. So, he should get for himself a conspicuous place in Nigeria’s history by ensuring the articulation of a Nigerian Dream before he leaves office. The best time to start is now.

The Nigerian Dream must be anchored on answers to the following questions among others; what do we want to be known for? What do we want as the hallmark of our nationhood? What values do we want to ingrain in our citizenry?

It is when answers are provided to these questions and no effort is spared to make every Nigerian key into the answers that our journey to greatness will begin.

Happy New Year.

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

I don’t see why one should not tone —Tomi Odunsi

Why stardom

won’t get into my head —Bimbo Oshin

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Tade Makinde tademt2@yahoo.com 08055001753

DJ’s office burgled 7 arrested, released on bail

X

MAS was not a happy one for Ibadan-based deejay, Gavpop, real names Popoola Gavaar Olatubosun. As he was trying to make ends meet somewhere at Sagamu on Decemeber 25, 2015 night, miscreants had a field day burgling his office at Joyce B road, Ibadan. Seven suspects have been questioned over the robbery.

Before he travelled to Sagamu that day, the Splash FM employee had gone to a barber shop where he was extorted for a carnival that was to take place that night at Joyce B. He told R that the previous year, he had given some boys in the neighbourhood money as his contribution to the annual carnival but was disappointed when he later found out that the boys had spent the money on themselves, and not on the carnival.

Because of that nasty experience, he promised not to give financial support for such events again.

As I was having a hair cut, the guys

came in, asking the barber to give them money. He did. Because I didn’t have much on me that afternoon, I lent some cash from the barber and gave it to the guys. One of them flared up and threatened to deal with me after throwing the money at me in anger. I was shocked, especially at his frowned face, but didn’t know that he meant what he said by dealing with me.

On arrival at Ibadan the next day, Gavpop found his office burgled and his equipment, valued at a little above one million Naira, had been stolen. The DJ immediately reported the burglary at the Iyaganku Police station from where two other deejays, two security guards and three others were arrested.

One of them later showed up on his own at the station. The suspects have been released on bail while investigation is going on. “I am mostly pained that a microphone, limited edition in fact, is missing. I can’t get it except I place an order for it,” he told R on Thursday.

NBMA goes to Abuja

Music, sound bane of filmmakers — Ogunlade THE secret of sound and music of these ace producers and directors is TRUTH, Michael “Truth” Ogunlade, has said.

The, music producer and audio engineer with a distinct feel of classic afro-centrism, said a musical impression leaves indelibly on movies.

“Regardless of the appreciable growth of the film industry in Nigeria, the area of music and sound is still very much a big challenge for film makers, many of whom now aspire to have their movies in the cinemas and International film festivals, but either completely fail to qualify, or do not have as much strength in this area of music and sound as their Hollywood contenders.”

TRUTH, which has been nominated for an Award, “is a force to be reckoned with in the growing film industry, bringing a full, unfailing 50 percent movie going experience through world class sound design and film scoring,” he said.

By Sijuade Adeniyi THE annual Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) has shifted base from Lagos to Abuja and is now slated for February 27th, 2016, at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja.

It’s going to be a gathering of broadcasting heavy weights and society big-wigs, Kazeem told R. “The choice of Abuja is important as all previous editions of Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA) were held in Lagos. However, due to some circumstances beyond our control, this year’s NBMA earlier scheduled for 23rd January, 2016, has been shifted till February 27.

“After hosting five editions in the aquatic city, it’s about time other regions had the feel of the pioneer award for the broadcasters in Nigeria,” the organiser said.

The nominees’ party for the NBMA will hold on January 23, 2016, at Heirs Place/Lounge Ibadan, Oyo State, while a red carpet reception, live studio broadcast, fashion display, command performances from top rated music stars and humour merchants, are some of the side attractions.

The merit awards is packaged by CrystalPearl Communications.

Actress celebrates Xmas Day with underprivileged

By Seyi Sokoya FISAYO Ajisola’s mission for the year 2015 was accomplished when the actress and her team put smiles on the faces of underprivileged on Christmas day as part of her quest to extend her hand, of fellowship through her Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO) The Jewel Empowerment Foundation (JEF).

She fed about 500 people in Agege, Oshodi and Ebutte Meta as well as spent time with them.

“This exercise is not new, it has become part of the responsibilities of the NGO. The last one was held in Abeokuta, but the train moved to Lagos this year.

Though, the economic situation in the country almost stopped us from repeating same this year, we thank God that it turned out to be a success and it is clear that they also feel the sense of belonging. We are hopeful that year 2016 will be great, especially

with the wind of change blowing in the country.”

The actress restated her readiness to storm the movie industry next year with more welfare initiatives and movies, especially soup operas.

“I think I have the time to fully concentrate on my career now having finished my first degree.

Year 2016 would be an outstanding one. I will not hesitate to give my best in the entertainment industry,” she added.

MAY7VEN returns with ‘Made Up My Mind’ MAY7VEN is ushering in the new year with a new single entitled ‘Made Up My Mind (MUMM)’.

MUMM, which was produced by Antoine Stone, captures May7ven displaying her amazing vocals, songwriting skills and pop sensibilities. She is the first independent Afrobeats artist to be A-listed on UK commercial radio and debut on MTV Base UK top 10 twice, a rear feat even for mainstream artists.

The Afrobeats artist has released hits such as ‘Ten Ten’, ‘Hey Mr’ and ‘Take Off My Clothes’, under her belt.

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Aramide unveils ‘Odun Tuntun’ video ARAMIDE has ended 2015 with the video to her previously released single titled ‘Odun Tuntun’. The single sees Aramide singing about her wishes and prayers for the New Year, as

she further showcases her vocal strength and versatility.

The video was shot on location in Lagos and is directed

by Tosin Igho for Remote Pictures.

N-Stars performing at the Nnenna & Friends End of Year Show on Friday.

Eboh to premiere movie on Nigerian girl-child ALL is set for the premiere of Reality, the latest movie to showcase the plight of the Nigerian girl-child produced by Dozie Eboh.

During the premiere which was held at Greatwood Hotel, Owerri, Imo State, on Thursday December 31, 2015, a select group of individuals and institutions that have contributed towards the upliftment of the Nigerian girl-child would be bestowed with the ‘Girl-

Base One releases “Skon Skon” Aquila Records act, Base One, has released two new singles entitled “Skon Skon” & “Weyre Re” remix”. On Werey Re, Base One features hiphop heavyweights Phyno and Olamide. The song is produced by Xblaze.

“I released two songs, one featuring two of the best Nigerian rap artists, called ‘Weyrey Re O remix’ and the other one for my fans to dance to, called ‘Skon Skon’, because they both have different rhythms and different directions, coupled with the fact that they both promote my alter ego, the Mad-Man”, says Base One. Base One comes on strong in a different light from what fans are used to on a dance beat laced

by Aquila Records’ resident producer, Phantom. This one is for dance enthusiasts and is sure to rock dance floors in Nigeria and beyond. Skon Skon is mixed and mastered by T Frizzle.

2015 has indeed been a good year for Base One with acknowledgements and recognition for notable names like MI, Don Jazzy and Funke “Jenifa” Akin-

dele, crowned with a nomination for Headies Rookie Of The Year alongside Pepenazi, Ycee, Young GreyC, Humblesmith & Koker.

child Defenders’ awards.

Reality is the story of a young girl who left her family in a village in South East Nigeria to the city to live with an aunt who has been very helpful to the family after the death of their father.

She saw this move to the city as an opportunity to make her family proud and to have a feel of the contemporary society, which she has heard so much about.

Desirous of becoming a model and a Medical Doctor, her career dream was truncated as the city turned out to be her worst nightmare.

The producer, Eboh, said of the movie that: “It is an emotional movie that will leave your heart falling out for the child abuse syndrome happening in the society, especially for the girl child.”

To be honoured with the ‘Girlchild Defender’ award are the Speaker of the Imo state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim and member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Chike Okafor.

2016 is ‘Normal’ for Funmi BySeyi Sokoya

GOSPEL singer, Atewogbola Funmilola, popularly known as Queen Funmi, has expressed her delight following the success of her latest music album entitled “Normal”, which was released last year.

The juju singer expressed her gratitude especially to Yinka Ayefele and Saint Janet who both featured in the album.

On the collaboration, she described it as great one.

“It was a plus to the success of my new work. I appreciate the fact that they believed in me as well as supported my music career through their passion. I am grateful and honoured with their impact.”

Queen Funmi called on her fans to be on the look out for more good music in 2016. “I have a lot to deliver this year. I have a lot of plans in the pipeline to take my career to the next level,” she told R.

Others are Marshal Nwachukwu, Chief Osinachi Nnedu (Onwa Isiokpo), the Chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Imo state chapter, Conac Umez, and Chief Chima Anyaso (Chairman La-Paris Hotels).

Also to be similarly awarded is the Journalists Alliance for the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (JAPIN), an initiative supported by UNICEF for safe motherhood, which begins with the girl child.

The event is expected to kickoff with a red carpet by 1pm.

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Segun Adebayo and Seyi Sokoya tegbollistic@yahoo.com, seyi_sky@yahoo.com 08116954644 08132577840

Sometimes in life, some people are fetish, so what we are trying to preach is what happens to those people that are fetish at the end of it all

tion: people come from all states in Nigeria and even people that live abroad come here to visit the Idanre hills. So, Mare is bound to have a huge impact on the economy of Ondo State. Tourism is a lot of money.

In Yoruba movies, there seems to be a concentration of past ages, fetishism and witchcraft, as solutions to human problems. Why are we not being scientific, for instance?

When we preach, sometimes we deal with true life stories. And talking about life itself, you can’t take away those things.

There are some people that believe in them and practice them, day in, day out, whether they visit the alfas or they do juju.

Sometimes in life, some people are fetish, so what we are trying to preach is what happens to those people that are fetish at the end of it all.

Don’t you think you are overdoing it?

I think that has really gone down a little.

It has really reduced compared to how it was before. When I do my own movies, you hardly see things like that; not that I don’t know that they exist, but that is not my interest.

Why stardom won’t get into my head —Bimbo Oshin Chatting with movie producer and director sure can be fun. Recently in Idanre, the Ondo State-born Bimbo Oshin, in this interview with ABIODUN AWOLAJA, speaks on Nollywood, her experience in the industry and sundry issues. Excerpts:

I

N probably about 80 per cent of the movies that you feature in, you play romantic roles, doing stories on love, heart break and all of that. Why that preference?

Well, it depends on what I am being called on to do. If I am not the producer, possibly the producers think that if they call me for this role, I can interpret it very well. I think that’s the reason they feature me in that role.

You are in an industry where, sometimes, people fizzle out very quickly. But you have been there for two decades. What has been your staying power?

It is not my doing. All thanks go to God. I don’t know how I’ve been able to go this far; it’s been God all through.

You have been around during Mare festival on more than two occasions. What are your views on the festival?

Mare festival is all about celebrating our culture and promoting our tourism. I think that, lately, Idanre had been abandoned for a while. But since our governor started it, a lot of things have changed here. Idanre has become a tourist attrac-

Personally, you seem to be relatively scandal-free, even on the online media. How do you settle the guys?

I don’t believe in settlement. Do you collect money? You don’t and I guess they don’t too. Sometimes it’s---it’s been God, anyway. Then, your kind of person matters. Your upbringing matters. I think that has really helped me.

How did your growing up affect what you do now?

I’m from Ondo town in Ondo State. I’m from a family of eight and I’m the second to the last child. I had my secondary school in Lagos, then I went to the University of Lagos to study Philosophy.

While I was in school, I had a friend who was at the Lagos State University. She was the one that really introduced me to some people in the industry.

What really inspired you to join the movie industry?

Well, it’s an in-born thing. You know, sometimes, I would do a drama sketch, Continues on pg 21

21

glitz

3 January, 2016 fore going for another job.

When you act love stories, how does your husband feel, because sometimes they can look so real?

Well, like I said, he is also into the industry. He knows this is my job, and that in interpreting our roles, we have to do it well. We have to bring reality into it.

Despite your married status, a lot of men must have been running after you. How do you manage men?

Even before being married, I had been able to handle it. I know when to be nice but if you are being nasty, if you take things beyond what they should be, then I know how to put you in your place.

Your favourite designer?

Givenchy. But I’m not a designer freak.

Your favourite colour and why?

Red. It suits me. I feel good in red.

The Yoruba pioneered the Nigerian theatre and film industry through Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo and others. But today, the Igbo seem to have taken over the film industry. Are you worried that the Yoruba have taken a back seat?

Well, I guess there was a lot of controversy about Nollywood being 20 and all of that. One thing I know for sure is that even the Igbo know the origin of theatre and film in Nigeria. So, I guess what they were celebrating then wasn’t 20 years of theatre in Nigeria; it was just 20 years since they formed Nollywood. I guess there are certain things that we the Yoruba are not getting right. But we have started working on them.

Many up and coming actresses dress provocatively, creating problems in homes as parents try to prevent their children from seeing nudity...

It’s not just the movie industry that has this challenge. Sometimes, it is the entertainment industry as a whole. Sometimes when you are watching some musicals and you are with your kids, you wouldn’t know what to do. But what I think is that we can just be moderate; you know, put a bit of decency into whatever we do. If you are playing the role of a prostitute, you have to look like them. There is no way you can interpret that role without exposing some flesh. What makes an actor/actress is being able to interpret your role. All the same, I would say they should just try and be decent so that children can sit and watch films and learn, because they see us as role models. That is the most important thing. When I go out and people tell me, “O, Aunty Bimbo, you are my role model,” it means a lot to me.

Who is your role model in the industry?

Continued from pg 20

play around. I knew I had that in me, so I just cultivated the talent.

How did your parents react?

When I wanted to sit for the UME, I wanted to study Theatre Arts, but my parents were like: “Hell no, you are not going to do that.” Then thereafter, knowing the kind of upbringing they had given me, and knowing the kind of person I am, they felt that “at least, she has done what we want by graduating from the university, so, let her go into acting.”

Is your husband in support of what

you do?

O yes he is. He is also in the entertainment industry, so I don’t have any problem with that.

How do you manage the home front, as you have to be on location, sometimes far away from home?

There’s one thing you need to identify: being married and being single. While I was single, I could go to location week after week, and instantly whenever I was informed I had a job to do. But being married now, I have cut some things down. I know when to be with my family and when to go on location. If I go to location today, I might decide to hang out with them, be-

I know when to be nice but if you are being nasty, if you take things beyond what it should be, I know how to put you in your place.

Sunday Tribune

Joke Sylva.

Why? I love her ways.

Who are your mentors in the industry?

Rasaq Ajao (Araosan) was my boss. He is in the US right now. Yinka Quadri, Ogogo, Abbey Lanre---those are the people that actually mentored me.

Have you been able to bring up others?

Yes, quite a few, but I don’t have a school but when I have jobs, I know their capabilities and I invite them to feature in movies.

What was your first experience in acting like?

My first experience was when we used to do rehearsals in our halls. But now we had a lot of strange faces and I was called upon to act like a mad woman in front of people. I was like, how am I going to cope?

But of course the talent was in-born and I did it without fear. That was how I started coming up.

How much were you paid for your first job?

It was just a token. I don’t want to mention the figure (laughs).

What places has this industry taken you to?

This industry has really taken me far. I am recognised everywhere I go. A lot of doors have been opened for me. But I still expect more doors to open.

If you were not an actress, what would you have been?

I would have been like a CID (detective).

What has been your most difficult experience on this job, the one you will never forget?

There was a movie I did with, I think, Abbey Lanre. I played the role of a girl that has epilepsy. I was actually at the bus stop waiting for a bus, and people around me were like “She’s going to fall down!

She’s going to fall down!” and people just started moving away from me. That was a big embarrassment for me.

What can you say about sexual harassment in the industry?

Well, I haven’t experienced one. But it’s not peculiar to the entertainment industry alone. It happens everywhere. It happens in the banks; people do it.

So, if they approach you now, what would you do?

No, no, no. They wouldn’t dare.

Obviously, a lot of people would say Bimbo Oshin is a very beautiful woman...

Am I? I think so. But it does not seem to have got into your head. You relate easily with people. Does that have to do with your training in Philosophy or does it have to do with your background?

My background, my person, then my God. When you talk about stardom, who gives stardom? He gives stardom. If He doesn’t want you to have it, He won’t give it to you. Being a star doesn’t mean you have to be pompous. You still have to be level-headed. I see myself as just me. Just Bimbo.

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entartainment

Teriba takes friends, family to Mountain of prayer LAST week Wednesday was another day gospel singer, Lanre Teriba will not forget in a hurry. At his newly built mountain of prayer, celebrities, clergymen and fans were present to seek the face of God as they begin another year.

Located at Ishara Remo in Ogun State, the sixhour prayer meeting and song ministration saw celebrities led by Teriba take turns to ask God for a new thing in the new year.

Teriba in his usual style, gave a good account of himslef as one of the leading lights in the gospel music arena as he dished out spirit-filled songs that took the gathering to another level of worship.

After the prayer session, Teriba told newsmen that it has become a yearly affair for him to take friends, families and colleagues to his prayer mountain to pray and sing praises to God.

Sunday Tribune with Segun Adebayo tegbollistic@yahoo.com 08116954644

My plans for the New Year —Kcee L EADING artist in the Five Star music family, Kcee has revealed his plans for the New Year.

The MTN ambassador who enjoyed a fruitful 2015 playing at major gigs within and outside the country, also renewed his endorsement deal with MTN. This year, Kcee said he plans to give back to his fans in a special way even

as he continues to release more good tunes to the delight of his fans.

Speaking with E about what his fans should expect in the new year, the Limpopo master who last dropped an album in 2014 said he would be dropping a new album soon, adding that the Five Star music family

would not disappoint their fans.

“I wish my fans a good new year. They have been very supportive over the years, especially since the Kcee returned to the fore front of the music industry. Now that we are here, the work has just begun and I can tell you that 2016 will be

better than the last. God has really been good to me, and the only thing I could give back to him is to be good to my fellow human beings by showing them love and support when the need arises. So, for me, the good work continues in 2016,”he said.

Why I gave out N1m to my fans —Wizkid

SUPERSTAR singer, Wizkid has explained why he decided to give out a million naira to his fans recently, saying it was part of his plans to give back to his loyal fans for their love and support.

“I feel good to know that my fans are very much into what I do. It is a great

sense of pride for me and I will continue to show them how much I appreciate their love and support”.

At the last edition of Industry Nite with Wizkid, four of his fans went home with N250,000 each.

Wizkid had challenged any of his fans who could

sing any of his songs without missing a line.

No doubt, the Star Boy label boss has certainly had a successful 2015 and as a result showed his fans appreciation during his performance at the special Industry Nite where he delivered an electrifying performance.

9ice and Yinka Olukunga performing at a show in Lagos during the Yuletide.

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sundayzest

Sunday Tribune

With Victory Oyeleke victoryoyeleke@yahoo.com

New Year, New You

How to improve your wellbeing W

ITH three days into the New Year, majority of us are still hyped over our resolution to be richer, slimmer, fitter, more organised and better.

Positive utterances from New Year’s eve services all over the country have boosted our expectations for 2016 like it does every year and as we danced into the year, claiming more money, bikini-body, long life, elevation, success, marriage and our numerous heart desires, we are chargedup and ready to execute our resolutions for the year but if history is right, by the middle of January, majority of us would have abandoned our laid out plan to conquer the year and achieve our goals. This is not due to lack of will power, or demonic forces working against us but because behavioural changes are hard-you are more likely to fall back into your old habits than you are to stick with a new behaviour.

So, instead of seeking social media validation, wealth and bikini-body, committing to your wellbeing, happiness and general mental health might be a more viable option, which in turn might focus your attention to achieving some of your substantial desires.

The great thing about committing to yourself is that, all you need are little changes.

Here are a few to help you on your way to a new you.

Slow down and smell the roses We live in a frantic world and something or someone would always need your time and attention. Make a point of setting aside time for yourself. Avoid agree-

ing to things you do not want to do and then complain about it.

Learn to be okay with saying no Those who genuinely care about you will understand if you cannot lend them money or do them a time-consuming favour. It is love your neighbour as your self, not more than yourself. Do not put yourself out. It is okay to say no when you need to.

Unplug For most of us, our day starts with turning the phone alarm off, then checking and reading emails, then on to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Before making it out of bed we have already bombard ourselves with lots of unnecessary information. Your mornings should not be ruled by technology. Get an alarm clock, if you must have your phone next to you, then put it on silent and turn off push notifications. Creating the right conditions for your body to feel relax is essential for good night’s sleep, which increases productivity and brain function.

Nourish your soul and body We are what we eat is a proven fact as the food we eat have a direct impact on our mood and serotonin levels. Reduce junk food and eat more fruits, vegetables, good grains and dark chocolate. To nourish your mind, read educational books, seek knowledge and reduce frivolous chatter. When your thoughts are all over the place, read a poem out loud. Focusing on the lyrical sound of the words melts away angry thoughts.

Breathe Concentrate on your breathing during the day by doing some simple breathing exercises. This will help connect you to your body and focus your attention. When things get too stressful, try the alternative nostril-breathing trick to get revitalized.

How to Step 1: Use the left thumb to secure your left nostril.

Step 2: Breathe in gently through right nostril Step 3: Pause for one second.

Step 4: Then secure your right nostril with the ring finger and free the thumb from the left nostril.

Step 5: Breathe out through your left nostril.

Step 6: Continue with step 1 but do not start with breathing through the left nostril.

With these steps you have one round.

You can continuously increase the rounds starting from 1 or 2. After you have finished, be quiet and sit still for a couple of moment.

Warning: not suitable for those with high blood. Instead, do pauses with deep breathing.

Exercise Breaking a sweat, ideally first thing in the morning releases endorphins- the body’s natural opiates. What better way to start the day than being happy and gay?

Declutter We Nigerians tend to be hoarders. We

surround ourselves with things that do not work, are not needed or even wanted.

The rule of thumb you should adopt is; everything you own should have a value, either because it’s functional or beautiful or you just love it. Anything that falls outside this rule should be thrown out, sold or donated to charity.

Redefine failure If you are unable to get it right the first time, learn from it and do it again as failure is not necessarily a bad thing if you have the zeal to try again. Use it as a stepping-stone to greatness.

Live in the moment Dwelling in the past has no way of benefiting your present neither does being anxious about the future. The only time you have is now. Focus on it and be conscious and aware of the present with all your senses.

Do not keep up with the Jones Theodore Roosevelt says it best when he said ‘comparison is the thief of joy.’ Try to stop comparing yourself to others. The reality of those glamming it up on social media is a far cry from their selfies. If you cannot afford the latest handset, your old one will do just fine. There is no logic in carrying a Hermes bag when you do not have food at home or savings.

About everything else, be thankful. Reflect on each day and find positive things in them. No matter how small, be grateful.

Even a stranger’s smile is something to be grateful for. Have a wonderful New Year!

24

3 January, 2016

makeover

Sunday Tribune

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 rosarumese@gmail.com

2

015 was a year of unexpected fashion statements, with many coming out to express their uniqueness in terms of creativity. While some of these will spill into 2016, this new year promises to see more originality, imagination and resourcefulness rising to the fore, especially for hair, makeup and outfit designs. Below are a few trends to expect in 2016: Makeup Mrs Yemisi Dada Seriki of N’sure Beauty Studio, outlines makeup trends for 2016 as follows: Darker lips: Dark lipstick colours are gradually leaving the confines of costume parties and are making their way into daytime red carpet events, weddings and even offices. Popular in this category are wine, purple, and chocolate. Matte lipstick will also be popular. They are very comfortable to wear, seeing as they don’t bleed or run, thus not really requiring the use of lip liners.

Bronzer: Popular on stars like Lupita Nyong’o and Kelly Rowland, shimmer will be the facial statement of 2016, as more and more people are embracing the use of bronzers.

Winged eyeliner: They give definition to the eyes and also create an alluring effect. They are also becoming more accepted,

Beauty trends for

2016

not just at outdoor gatherings but at formal events as well.

Less eyeshadow: The use of eyeshadow seems to be going out of vogue and 2016 will be a defining moment.

Hair Back to the roots: More and more women are embracing their natural hair and are doing their

best to bring back shine to their roots, allowing the weaves and braids to rest a while.

Some will take it up a notch and will go for dread

hairstyles and threadbraids.

Outfits Stripes for ties: For many men, matching striped ties to patterned shirts can be a burden but the new year seems to be

heralding daring decisions regarding stripes.

It is however, important to keep in mind that at least one colour in the stripes goes favourable with the overall colour of the shirt or the suit.

Lace embellishments: This style was a hit in 2014, but experienced a downturn in 2015. However, it seems to be staging a comeback in 2016 and will not just reflect on Ankara-themed dresses but on English dresses as well, including shirts.

Cold shoulder tops and dresses: This feature was popular in the later part of 2015 and is guaranteed to spill over into this new year. From tops to evening dresses, the off-shoulder outfit is a statement to watch out for.

Loud coloured outfits: While 2014 and 2015 saw the introduction of colour blocking, 2016 will ring with it loud colours, as an expression of creativity.

Watch out for more daring combinations and flashy ensembles.

Peplum to stay: While peplum-themed outfits have been on and off, they will be a major feature in 2016. However, many styles will deviate from the norm as 2016 will be characterised with unevenness in style length.

25

3 January, 2016

relationships

. . . issues, family, sex

Sunday Tribune

Rita Okonoboh 08053789087 rosarumese@gmail.com

Photo:www.blackloveadvice.com

Relationship resolutions

for 2016

R

ESOLUTIONS help to make us better and for the new year, and whether one intends to keep resolutions or not, for relationships, whether on the level of couples or families, seeing as they are vital to everyday living, it is important to take a stand this 2016.

Listen attentively Maybe in the past, you listened, but not with the intention to be attentive, or you probably hadn’t listened at all. This new year, make it a point of duty to listen attentively and carefully to others, especially loved ones. Watch for reactions and hidden messages, such as when your significant other says everything is fine, and you have that nagging feeling that everything is not fine. Not only does listening help to improve understanding, it also helps to foster good communication, which is the bedrock for successful relationships. As Emma Thompson puts it, “Any problem, big or small, within a family, always seems to start with bad communication. Someone isn’t listening.”

Learn more about each other Whether it is a new relationship or even between married couples, as well as family members, this new year, make it a point of duty to learn something new about your

Random Fact

loved ones. Even if you spend 24 hours each day together, which is almost impossible, there are still many new things you can discover, if only time is taken to actually make the effort. Ask significant questions about childhood, school activities, health issues and even ambitions. And if you’re a new couple, ask serious questions about where the relationship is headed, so that 2016 doesn’t become another long stretch of waste with the wrong person.

Spend more time together With the distractions the internet presents, as well as the ever bugging presence of ringing phones, map out time to spend together, without the interference of technology. Find relaxation in each other’s presence and enjoy the company. If it a night out or just a lunch date, it doesn’t have to cost so much. Just the fact that you’re together should make it just as meaningful.

And if it is time spent at home, it could also involve cooking together or sharing other house chores. You’ll not only enjoy the activity, but the relationship will improve significantly.

Love yourself too According to Ernest Hemingway, “The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and

Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses —Lao Tzu

forgetting that you are special too.” This year, make it a point of duty to care for not just your loved ones, but yourself as well, as it is only what you have you can give.

Leave the past in the past A new year is a wonderful opportunity to let go of the past. It might have hurt or probably brought regrettable, yet wonderful memories. Just let them go and move ahead. If some wrong was committed, and necessary apology has been tendered, as long as it can be determined that the offender is sober, forget and don’t let it drag out unnecessarily, as it will only make the year begin on a bad note. Think positive.

Share goals No matter how close you are, each person has his/her unique aspirations and goals.

When you share goals, you know you are on the same page and it will help the union

The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too

focus on attainable goals.

Be open to compromise It is normal for disagreements to occur in relationships, but one of the perks of working together as a couple is to know when to compromise, although, this should be done with caution. Compromise should come with big decisions, especially when it will significantly affect the relationship.

It could be the decision to give up certain bad habits. Let your compromise reflect in your decision to let go of your strong convictions, especially if it has negative effects on the family.

Reduce unhealthy competition Whether during arguments or achieving goals, understand that you are on the same page, and whatever actions you take, in the long run, reflects on the family as a unit.

When arguments take place, make sure both sides are making valid points and talk it out, rather taking your stand as final, to the detriment of peaceful coexistence. And when you’re working on achieving goals, bear in mind that the race for becoming the best should be a partnership.

Try new things together Sharing new experiences together will reduce infidelity issues, but the couple should be willing to make themselves available for such ventures. Let adventures be a shared experience as it will not just challenge your compatibility, you will come out united and stronger than ever.

26

3 January, 2016

With Akintayo Abodunrin akinjaa03@yahoo.co.uk 08111813058

In the face of dwindling oil revenue, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, needs to be proactive to make the sector beneficial to both players and government in the New Year

I “

am happy that we do not have a ministry of culture because we, especially visual artists, have never benefitted anything from government. They have been more of a setback and we have achieved the much that we have achieved,” artist Juliet Ezenwa Maja-Pearce said at the Art Stampede of the 2015 Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) in mid November, some five months after President Muhammadu Buhari finally announced his cabinet.

While a number of players in the culture sector had expressed dismay at the President’s decision to merge the ministries of information and culture, some were not surprised by the development, given the relegation of the ministry which used to include tourism and national orientation to the background under previous administrations.

An important sector capable of providing an alternate source of revenue for the country, especially in this era of dwindling oil revenue, successive administrations had largely neglected the area.

People expected the trend to change back in 2011 when ex-President Goodluck Jonathan appointed a major player in tourism, High Chief Edem Duke, to head the ministry. There was cautious optimism as people thought the Calabar High Chief was the technocrat they had long yearned for. He would right the wrongs of the past and place culture on a higher pedestal.

Sadly, they were mistaken. Duke was big on words but short on action. He was an ideas man, an orator who could sell ice to an Eskimo but found it difficult to implement policies.

Needless to say, players in the sector were disillusioned and rated his tenure low, hoping that the next helmsman would be better.

“We must all demand from the new government a technocrat to head the sector.

We have the capacity to provide an alternate source of revenue for the country and we, as a nation, must be prepared to tap into this venture. Oil will dry up. Culture and tourism can only grow,” said expresident, National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners and founder of R2TV, Greg Odutayo before President Buhari appointed Alhaji Lai Mohammed to supervise the ministry.

While not a ‘culture technocrat’ in the true sense of the word, Alhaji Mohammed appears aware of the task before him. During his maiden meeting with heads of parastatals of the ministry in Abuja, he pulled no punches in telling them that some of them are square pegs in round holes. “Sometimes where academicians are required, administrators are holding sway. There is a critical lack of understanding of the mandate of the various parastatals by some of the heads, and where they understand the mandate; there is a serious lack of capacity. The implication is that those heading these parastatals simply invent their own agenda sometimes and impose such on us, with devastating consequences. That explains why most of the parastatals are lying comatose.”

He added that, “ Ladies and gentlemen,

Lai Mohammed

What culture wants from Lai Mohammed in 2016 you all are sitting on a gold mine, but you have either refused to realize this, simply feigning ignorance or totally lacking the capacity to mine the gold. It can no longer be business as usual. Stop feeling second class, snap out of your complex and mine your gold. Culture drives tourism, and both are good for creating jobs, reducing crime and diversifying the economy, which are three of the cardinal programmes of the Buhari Administration.”

Though well said, Mohammed needs to match words with action as there are pressing areas he needs to address. Some parastatals of the ministry are redundant and the country will be best served if they are merged. The division between the National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria is resources wasting. The Troupe ought to be the performance arm of the National Theatre instead of what currently exists where there is a General Manager for the National Theatre and an Artistic Director for the National Troupe.

Curiously (and some say foolishly), they have their full complement of directors and staff members, signifying another source of revenue leakage. Curiously still, both bodies used to be overseen by a single board with the National Troupe more or less seen as a tenant in the Theatre. The Theatre and Troupe was a single entity during the tenure of Professor Ahmed Yerima and all was well. The division after his tenure expired; perhaps to find ‘food for the boys’ is plain foolishness.

The fact that the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) also has a Performance Department headed by a director also needs to be addressed. Pray, what does a parastatal that only becomes visible once a year when it organises the National Festival of Arts (NAFEST) has to do with staging plays when a Troupe funded by government exists? When the NCAC celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015, it was very low key because there was no money. Would it not be more sensible merging it with related parastatals?

The planned concession of the fallow land of the National Theatre is also an issue the new minister must address. In June 2015, the Theatre’s General Manager, Kabiru Yusuf, had, at a media briefing told reporters that a company, Topwide Apeas/Chris Micheal Ltd had emerged the preferred bidder of the fallow land while Calzada Nigeria Ltd was the reserved bidder.

Though the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission had corroborated Yusuf and said Topwide Apeas/Chris Michael Ltd is indeed the preferred bidder, one learnt that Calzada had also been informed it was the preferred bidder. The company had, in fact, announced this on its website, Calzadang.com, and has refused to pull down the information even when almost all news mediums reported Topwide Apeas/ Chris Michael Ltd. as the preferred bidder.

What observers are saying is that the company would not have gone ahead to declare itself the preferred bidder for the fallow land

if it had not been duly informed. Where the truth lies is a riddle the minister, who assured that the theatre would not be sold during a visit to the complex on Monday, must unravel. The preferred bidder must be chosen transparently.

Mergers should also be considered for parastatals like the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism in the tourism sector while the same should be extended to the National Gallery of Arts and National Commission for Museums and Monuments whose functions overlap.

Appointments of the chief executives of parastatals under the ministry was one of the main areas where Duke goofed; fittingly, Mohammed has realised this and must ensure that he does not repeat the same mistake when there are new openings.

The National Festival of Arts (NAFEST), organised annually by the NCAC and the jamboree called Abuja Carnival will also need the attention of Minister Mohammed.

If states like Cross River, Rivers and Lagos can organise world-class carnivals, why does the Federal Government continue to ridicule itself with the charade called Abuja Carnival? Perhaps it’s time to let it go!

Alhaji Mohammed needs to be pro-active and ready to step on toes because culture, as presently exists, is not unlike the Augean Stable; it needs lots of cleansing if it will contribute to the nation’s economy in these dire times. So, Alhaji Mohammed must match words with action this New Year.

27 arts&culture Governor Ben Ayade’s first Carnival Calabar was a memorable outing filled with colours and gaiety.

W

“

E are celebrating 11 years of the carnival; the greatest street party ever; the greatest show in West Africa.

This is just the beginning. This is my first carnival as governor of the state. We will continue to add new innovations to make it colourful in the years ahead,” Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade declared proudly on Monday at the grand finale of the 2015 Carnival Calabar.

Laced with its usual glitz and fun with revellers turning out in numbers to witness the spectacle, Ayade’s first carnival was indeed memorable with participation from nine countries including Spain, France, Italy, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Burundi, Ghana and Brazil.

Aside the five regular bands - Passion 4, Master Blasta, Freedom, Seagul and Bayside, the Governor’s newly created band comprising beauty queens, the Vai Vai Samba Brazil, Henan Acrobatic of China, Flamenco of Spain and a host of celebrities including Patience Uzokwor, Kenneth Okwonkwo, Mr. Ibu, Shan George and Joseph Benjamin added spice to proceed-

3 January, 2016

Bikers, beauty queens light up Ayade’s first Carnival Calabar

Gov. Ayade on his power bike during the Bikers’ Parade ings.

Revellers from within and outside the

state lined the 12- kilometre carnival trail beginning from Mary Slessor Road

Dancers at the carnival

National Troupe takes Murna to IDPs in Bauchi INSTEAD of its annual end of the year production at the National Theatre, Lagos, the National Troupe of Nigeria broke from tradition this year by staging a play at the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) settlement in Yelwa, Bauchi State.

Titled ‘Murna’, the dance drama was written by Mike Anyanwu and directed by Josephine Igberease under the supervision of the Artistic Director of the Troupe, Akin Adejuwon, A Hausa word which means joy, ‘Murna’ narrates the story of people from different communities that find themselves in an IDP camp as a result of conflict. They are still bemoaning their fate when the Chief of Defence Staff and other top government offi-

Artistes of the National Troupe staging ‘Murna’ in Yelwa, Bauchi State

cials including the Minister of Information pay them and the troops trying to quell the insurgency in their region a surprise visit.

This makes them realise that they have not been forgotten by the government. The IDPs are assured that they will be catered for and that they will be re-settled in no time.

The play ends with heavy singing and dancing as all those in the IDP camp spread the message of hope. The performance took an interesting dimension when some of displaced persons joined in the singing and dancing.

Speaking after the performance and shortly after he donated some items to the IDPs, Adejuwon said that the tour to Bauchi was in fulfilment of the promise he made

on assumption of office that the Troupe will use productions to resolve conflicts and add value to the activities of the Federal Government, its principal.

“What we have done is to support the effort of the Federal Government in providing succour and in identifying with our displaced compatriots,” he said, adding that, “If you have been following me since I assumed office, you will realise that I have been working on the theme of ‘Performative Expression in a Conflict Environment.’

“The idea is to take edifying performances to conflict zones in the country, to IDP camps and to the barracks so that we can entertain the military when they return from the field. This will enable us perform the outreach function of theatre as a tool for conflict resolution and change. Our performance here today is in line with that objective and funds permitting, we shall cover all the other areas.”

The Artistic Director further disclosed that ‘Murna’ will be taken to other areas in the North East once the Troupe fine tunes logistics with its collaborators including the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Federal Ministry of Information and the Armed Forces.

“There is a whole lot of logistical needs that is required to embark on this tour. We are fine tuning arrangements. Once we get that sorted out, we shall head up north in furtherance of our outreach function,” he promised.

through IBB Way to Marian Road, MCC Way, Calabar Highway and the U.J Esuene stadium as the bands presented their interpretations of the theme, ‘Climate Change’ with beautiful dances, skits and costumes.

Explaining why he constituted the Governor’s Band with beauty queens that were the cynosure of all eyes while flagging off the carnival at the Millennium Park, Ayade said his wife, Lydia, interested in the wellbeing of beautiful young girls and who wants to help them realize their dreams, sold him the idea.

He added that the carnival, which has since succeeded in uniting people of the state and Nigerians, has continued to attract tourists and boost the state’s economy.

At the end of the exciting parade that attracted children, adults and the elderly, Passion-4 emerged the overall winner while Seagull and Masta Blasta came second and third respectively.

Speaking the previous day at the flag off of the Calabar Bikers’ Parade, another innovation to the month-long carnival he had announced earlier in Lagos while unveiling the theme, Ayade said it was to add a business angle to the annual fiesta which currently enjoys huge domestic participation.

He said, “We need to encourage tourists that have the capacity to spend. So the bikers’ parade creates a platform for those who have the wealth to buy expensive classic bikes like the ones on parade today.”

The governor further explained that the initiative was also to create a delicate and complex balance between the enthusiasm of youth and the wisdom of a 60 -year- old.

The bikers’ parade, which was not unlike the motor grand prix, attracted over 1000 extreme motor bikers from Nigeria, China, Canada, Australia Germany, the US, Philippines, Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic.

During the 12-kilometre parade led by Ayade himself, the male and female bikers performed hair raising stunts to the admiration of the crowd that turned out to see them.

On the choice of his red and blue bikes, Ayade said, “They were specifically chosen to reflect the glamour, elegance and royalty while green was chosen to reflect the theme of the festival which is climate cha nge.”

Aside Ayade, other guests at the start of the bikers’ parade were his deputy, Prof.

Ivara Esu, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, John Gaul Lebo and ex- governor of Donald Duke.

Speaking on the parade, the immediate past commissioner for information in the state, Chief Akin Ricketts, a biker himself, described the new offering as the brainchild of Ayade geared towards creating value for the festival. “This is a new offering that has put verve on Calabar Festival,” he said.

Actor and academic who is also a biker, Sam Dede, described the event as a convergence of happy people in unity and that in future, it will be more popular than Carnival Calabar.

An Abuja-based biker, Gentle Giant, who said he had been preparing for the event since said, “This is a new development which people have been longing for.

It happens in Miami in USA.”

28

Sunday Tribune

Sunday Tribune

3 January, 2016

glamour

With Tayo Gesinde temiligali03@yahoo.com 08054727801

I don’t see why

you should not tone — Tomi Odunsi

Tomi Odunsi, an actress, singer and songwriter, who is best known for playing the role of “Salewa” in the television series, Tinsel, is a graduate of University of Lagos, where she studied Linguistics and African Languages. In this interview with TAYO GESINDE, she speaks about her style and fashion preferences. Excerpts:

I

Growing up was born to a musician father and a banker mother. I am one of three siblings and was born and bred in Lagos. I love to have a good laugh at silly things. I don’t take myself too seriously. I have always loved to perform at school plays.

What motivated me to go into acting Acting has always been second nature to me but most importantly, what motivated me was the desire to command the attention of my audience.

Definition of style Style to me is a way of expressing your individuality. It should be unadulterated. Purely telling everyone that the world is yours for the taking.

So, for me, style is comfort, simplicity and class.

Beauty regimen Not so complicated, I make sure I cleanse my face every night before I sleep. And workouts keep my pores unclogged.

Cost of looking good I don’t break the bank to look good. As long as my hair is done and I have got a good pair of heels, I would slay in any outfit (winks). I love Classy Vintage when I am serious. When I want to have fun I love preppy and little of pop culture in my outfits.

Favourite designers DVF, Salvatore Ferragamo, Deola Sagoe, Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Moofa, Wana Sambo and Grey.

What I won’t be caught dead wearing Wearing nothing!

Secret of beauty I love to use natural beauty products and I drink lot of water. As I said before regular workout does

good to my skin.

M y t a k e o n p r o v o c a t i v e dressing I think sometimes the society has forced some people to wear their insecurities. We need to dress more like powerful women that we are and the world will be at our feet.

What I consider to be my greatest physical asset My figure being petite has its advantages I must say.

Favourite pastimes I like to read a good book with a cup of my favourite beverage.

My favourite holiday spot Mauritius.

Why women should change the way they dress as they grow older Change is the most constant thing, don’t look drab because you are growing old, instead keep it interesting but without compromising the new phase of your life Opinion on cosmetic surgery I would say except it is life threatening, don’t do it.

My take on toning Toning is the most misconstrued term. “Toning” means using products to “even” one’s com-

29

plexion, as we all know in Nigeria, the hot sun and polluted atmosphere do great damage to the skin sometimes in form of burn.

In such cases, I don’t see why you should not tone or even your skin colour.

My family’s reaction to my career I have an understanding family who supports my career and who believes in me achieving more in what I do. They really are my rock.

Advice to young people Be true to yourself. Believe in yourself despite all odds Assessment of the Nigerian fashion industry I feel the Nigerian fashion industry still needs more structure but design wise we are not doing badly.

Philosophy of life Put God first, respect everyone’s feelings, and be result-oriented.

What I will like to change about yourself.

I would love to have more time for myself.

30

aspire

3 January, 2016

BY OLAIDE SOKOYA 0807 449 7425 (sms only)

BB pin: 290B9652

How to increase your sales in the new year (II)

(Continued from last week) Get referrals EFERRALS are the most profitable source of leads because they close dramatically faster than a cold lead, a lead from a trade show, website, advertisement or virtually any other source. The first step is to make sure your customers are happy! The happier your customers are the happier they will be to refer you to their own friends, colleagues and associates. A referral from a customer is the highest form of trust. Trust is built on consistent behavior over time, starting with continuously showing your customers that you’re focused on their needs. The second step is to make a direct request. Try something like: I would love to meet the VP of sales for your supplier ACME corp. Can you help me by providing an introduction?

Finally, always reward customers who send business your way. At a minimum, a handwritten thank you note will show them you appreciate the effort they made.

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Acknowledge your clients You’ll be surprised how much this matters - and how dramatic the results can be! For new customers, always say “thank you” they day you receive your first job order with a hand written thank you card. You should also say thanks after that order is filled. This second thank you can be a letter, a small gift or a phone call from you and/ or the owner of the business or branch manager. After that, if it doesn’t make sense to offer thanks for every order, make sure you do it at twice per year.

I encourage you to use handwritten thank you notes preferably ones that aren’t branded with your logo to look like an advertisement.

When negotiating, don’t add value if your customer won’t value it When dealing with the pricing objection sales people often make the mistake of piling on extras that the client may not want or need. The result is that it will cost you more to give the customer something they couldn’t care less about in the first place - a perfect lose-lose proposition.

Value, like beauty, is in the eye of the buyer. Ask questions to find out what, besides price, would keep the customer from giving their business to someone else. Then set to work to provide them with as many of those concessions as you can. If the client doesn’t want any extras, then you can’t use the value vs. price argument to win this business. Quit trying and go on to something else.

9. Take control of the follow-up process and STOP chasing!

Chasing the client down to get them to sign an agreement is not selling. Instead this year commit to controlling the customer call back and follow up process. For example: When a client tells you the timing is not right, ask them to be more specific. “Thanks for letting me know that next month is better for you. What date would you want to place the order?” Or: “I would be happy to call you back next month. Would Tuesday, July 11th at 10:00 a.m. work for you?”

Don’t take “don’t worry - I’ll call you!” as an answer.

You need to stay in control of the follow-up. For example, if the client offers to call you back when they are ready try: “Thanks for wanting to stay on top of this, Bob. How about, if I don’t hear from you by the 15th, I’ll call you on the 16th at 10:00 a.m.?”

10. Build client retention system Sales people and business owners may already be familiar with the statistic that suggest that it’s anywhere from five to 20 times less expensive to sell to existing clients than it is to land new ones. Less common, however, are those who heed that advice and adjust their sales strategy so that client-retention activities are as habitual as prospecting. And yet that’s precisely the level of commitment that’s required to make your client-retention efforts successful over the long term. This year make a commitment to increase the revenue you receive from your existing customer base by ensuring that they are purchasing your full range of products or services for their complete line of business units. (concluded)

Your Life Counts

Sunday Tribune

by Tunde Jaiyebo 0803 406 2013

The end or the beginning?

In life we operate between two points of time. Whatever has a beginning will always have an end. People enter the world at birth and exit at death. Careers are started and terminate at retirement. The year starts in January and ends in December.

This year began over eleven months ago and there remains just a few days before it ends. How time flies… its looks like yesterday when we began the year. At such a time as this many people respond to the end of the year in many ways. Many feel disillusioned about the year because their dreams and expectations were not met.

Some feel short-changed by the year… the environment was not as they expected . . . the economy nose-dived, security was a major concern and life was just tough.

Others are just glad it’s over. They want the year over and done with and they cannot wait to send the year into the oblivion of history. They cannot wait to shout on the 31st December… “Good riddance to bad rubbish”. Some are looking up to the new year with a great sense of expectancy . . . they think the New Year is magical. They think the New Year always comes with it hope.

They want to start all over again and set their New Year resolutions. New Year affords the brand new opportunity to have a brand new start.

We cannot afford to be sentimental or emotional about the year almost gone. We must sit down and have a frank look at the year. We must have a critical review of what has transpired in the year. We must analyze the year to see the mistakes we have made so we can plan to avoid repeating them in the New Year.

There are some common ills and plagues that many people fall prey to in any year (and we will do ourselves a whole world of good to avoid them in the New Year).

Some of them are: (1) Procrastination (2) Distraction (3) Loss of focus (4) Disorganization (5) Bad time management (6) Ineffective communication (7) Wrong relationships (8) Pessimism (9) Discouragement (10) Bad planning If we are to have a better new year than the one about to end, we must deal with the above issues.

No matter how bad the year has been we just have to move forward. We must not get stuck in crying over spilt milk.

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis We must also check out the year to see our strengths and successes so we can build on them in the New Year.

“Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin. And there are many things that don't really end; anyway, they just begin again in a new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are never-ending.” C Joybell. C The journey ahead of us is still far. There are still many territories to conquer, many lives to influence and many years of bliss and blessings so we cannot afford to let the year that is about to end mess us up.

“It's a lot easier to say when something ended rather than when it began. Most of us can recognise the end from a mile away, but the beginning always slips up on us, lulling us into thinking what we're living through is yet another moment, in yet another day.” Steve Yarbrough “Life is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about going on and on and on. It is about muddling through the middle.” Anna Quindlen No matter how the year has been we must not end the year on a sad note. We all have the opportunity of a brand new start as we enter the New Year.

I wish you a happy, blissful year full of grace, favour, speed and outstanding achievements.

For enquiries/comments please send email to urlifecounts@yahoo.com

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Sunday Tribune

thepolity Issues that will shape the Nigerian polity in 2016

As the much-anticipated 2016 begins, MOSES ALAO takes a look at some of the critical issues that will shape Nigeria’s polity and the personalities to watch out for in the New Year.

President Muhammadu Buhari

B

Y now, the pomp and fanfare that heralded the New Year are no doubt, quieting down, though the fireworks and decorations that ushered in 2016 might still be present features for some time to come.

Unlike the aura of the New Year, however, several critical issues bothering on the state of the Nigerian nation and its bodypolitic will remain on the front burner as Nigerians navigate through 2016; issues that will elicit reactions and affect the generality of Nigerians. While most, if not all of the issues are not novel, they will either remain fresh due to their importance to the lives of Nigerians and the survival of the country or generate fresh discourse given the preponderance of the people that will be affected by them.

Crude oil price By far the most important issue that will affect Nigerian and governance in the country, the politics of international oil market and the continuous decline of oil price will be strategic to developments in the country in the New Year. Though the Nigerian government appeared to have taken a cautious approach to budgeting by setting a benchmark of $38 per barrel for the N6.08 trillion budget it presented to the National Assembly, the disclosure by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the price might plummet as low as $20 dollars would be unnerving and precarious for Nigeria, especially given the fact that oil-related revenues are expected to contribute N820 billion to the economy

Protesters during the Occupy Nigeria rally against fuel subsidy removal in January 2012.

Photo: Internet

as enunciated by President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2016 budget before the National Assembly.

The import of the continued decline in the price of crude oil will, therefore, have great bearing on the economy and governance of the country, which trudged on in 2015 despite economic hardships. A brief look into the budget before the National Assembly showed that a deficit of N2.22 trillion would be funded by foreign and domestic loans; a development which political watchers noted would change drastically if oil price continues to dwindle.

Diversification of the economy Directly linked to the issue of crude oil price and its decline in the international market is the issue of the diversification of Nigeria’s mono economy. With the slide in crude oil price and drastic reduction of the petrodollars accruing to Nigeria in 2015 came grim lessons on why the country needed to shift from its heavy reliance on crude oil revenues. From states to the federal levels, the financial hardship had hit so hard that workers’ salaries could not be paid as and when due while capital expenditure of federal and state budgets could not receive adequate attention. Immediately after taking office, the president had reiterated his commitment to diversifying the economy, but economic analysts have noted that that commitment must be put into action as soon as possible in the New Year. The ques-

tions on how the country can survive in the face of the economic hardships occasioned by falling oil price and whether the government will live up to expectations by refocusing the country’s energies on agriculture and other sectors have been recurring, with the first two quarters of the New Year said to be capable of giving decisive answers to these questions.

Fuel subsidy removal What has remained a central issue in the politics of Nigeria, with many political observers differing on its import and necessity to the economy of the country has finally given way in 2016. The Federal Government had earlier announced that fuel subsidy would be phased out beginning from this month, while also setting the pump price at N86 for fuel stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and N86.50 for others. What is, however, worrisome is the fact that similar attempts to deregulate the petroleum sector had always met with stiff opposition; as every such attempt led to hike in fuel prices; a development that often led to general inflation. With the latest development on subsidy, political watchers have held different views, but Nigerians’ fate appears to be hanging in the balance regarding the issue, especially given the fact that government has failed in the regulation of pump price in the past despite the heavy subsidy regime. This development fuels

fears that the N86.50 pump price recently announced by the government may not fly. Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliates and state councils to begin mobilisation against the Federal Government’s move to remove subsidy. While it is too early to determine if the country would experience another major protest similar to that of Occupy Nigeria protests of 2012 when the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration made a similar attempt to remove subsidy. What is clear is that fuel subsidy will be a major issue in the country in the New Year; if the removal stays, a whole lot of issues including inflation and the standard of living of Nigerians will be affected and if subsidy is sustained, the already-depleted finances of the Federal Government will suffer more blows, with the likelihood of struggling to meet up likely to lead to fuel scarcity like the one experienced in the last months of 2015.

Governance With the May 29, 2015 change of guards at the state and federal levels tilting massively in favour of the APC; Nigerians largely expect governance to take a turn for the better, as the party has always projected itself in a better light. Similarly, the APC succeeded in whetting the appetites of Nigerians with several lofty electioncontinues pg 34

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Buhari’s anti-corruption fight: PDP members must account for their actions while in govt —Kwande

Ambassador Yahaya Kwande is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Board of Trustees and former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland. He speaks with ISAAC SHOBAYO, on the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration and other topical issues. Excerpts:

T

President, Ibrahim Babangida, tried to introduce political parties based on ideologies when he came up with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC). Those after him tried to centralise political parties by making them subservient to the centre.

Though President Buhari is trying to set the country on the path of ideology, what we have at the moment, especially in APC, is a merger of necessity to rescue the country; ideology will develop later.

HE general complaint among Nigerians is that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has not done anything to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians. As a member of the ruling party, what is your take on this?

I will start by giving an apology like a mother trying to cure her baby; we did promise and we are still promising and we thank God that people trusted us and voted for us. But if anybody thought that the problems of Nigeria will be addressed within six months, such person would be deceiving himself. We should not be queried at this time, because we are on the march to correcting the ills in the country and giving Nigerians what we promised them.

The constitution of Nigeria has given us the right to plan and execute within four years of our administration; unfortunately, Nigerians are in haste. Nobody said President Buhari is God but we believe Buhari is a leader; a leader that will direct happenings in the country. Nobody promised that all the ills of Nigeria would disappear the very day he was sworn in. In any case, I am happy they said things are getting hard.

Your child is sick, he has fever and you want to cure that child and the only way to cure the child is by giving him injection; a mother will hold her child tight to allow the doctor administer the injection so that the child would be well. This is what we are doing. Nobody expected that people will just be happy; the pain they are feeling is the pain of the process of correcting the ills.

But Nigerians expected measures to cushion the effect of the pains.

Let me give you an example I gave 10 years ago. The fuel subsidy that people are talking about; I said we would have problems whenever it was removed but removing would be necessary to cushion future pains. What we have are individual complaints from those who thought things would change overnight; so I can tell you that we are in the process of change. We are in a transition of pain to correct the future, this is my thinking.

Another major complaint about this administration is that its fight against corruption is targeted at crippling the opposition. What is your view on this?

This is the thought of those in the opposition. All they should do is to present those that are corrupt in APC and see what the government will do. The government did not come to fight individuals. But if you have an enemy and you have a brother and people are saying you should start with your brother before you go to the enemy, before you get to the enemy, he might have finished you. We are going to clean

Ambassador Yahaya Kwande

the whole thing; we started with the visible ones, the ones that would stop us from doing better job. We are not playing to the gallery or do they expect Buhari to probe himself first? Certainly not. There are certain people that are visible when it comes to corruption, so the best thing is to go after them before we look inwards. When they were throwing Buhari to the lions, did they throw Jonathan to the lions then? When they were projecting Buhari and APC in bad light, these set of people did not complain.

Before and during the April election, APC and especially Buhari had the worst publicity orchestrated by the PDP but we bore it and forged ahead; so the opposition now should exercise some level of tolerance and account for their actions while in power. It is natural to start with the enemies.

What some people are saying is that in the fight against corruption, there should be no sentiments; that it should cut across.

When we finish with them, let them tell us those that are corrupt in APC. Now

back to your first question, how many of the PDP members were projected as being corrupt when they were in power? Can you tell me one? They are being picked now because there is no cover. It is wrong to say APC is persecuting PDP, most of us were all once in the same party.

Based on your last statement, there has been a prevalence of people jumping from one party to another, giving the general impression that politics of ideology is non-existent in Nigeria. Do you subscribe to this notion?

The military killed politics of ideology during the first republic, because before then, politicians were principled and identified themselves with political parties based on the ideology and philosophy of the founders. The idea of jumping ships was not pronounced as we are experiencing it today, because the political class then was highly principled and ideological in thinking. The intervention of the military destroyed this but the former Military

Your political associate and former vice-president of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, recently dismissed the speculation that he was plotting against the administration of President Buhari.

(Cuts in)…We have enemies both within and outside Nigeria that do not wish the country well and they are doing all they can to destabilise the country. The good relationship between former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and President Buhari is discomforting some people. Immediately after the presidential primary, they expected Atiku to say negative things but he congratulated Buhari. During the election, they also expected Atiku to stay away but he gave all his might to ensure the success of the president. Even when Buhari won the election, they were shocked that he sent Atiku to represent him in South Africa. The most recent was the presence of the president at the marriage ceremony of Atiku’s children in Adamawa. So, the enemies are not happy about the prevailing good relationship between the duo of Buhari and Atiku. Part of the plot to destroy the relationship was the insinuation that Atiku held nocturnal meetings in Dubai to destabilise the government. But nobody can destroy the relationship between the duo, because Atiku is a humble politician.

What is your position on the proBiafra protests in the South-East?

The agitation for Biafra has always been there, you cannot have over 100 million people and expect them to think alike; it is not possible. However, the Federal Government and other eminent Nigerians are looking into the issue; I believe the agitation will soon die down.

The president is being accused of becoming a junketer-in-chief, travelling out of the country at any given opportunity…

(Cuts in)… This is not the first time people are raising such frivolous criticisms; similar accusations were made against [former President Olusegun] Obasanjo and Jonathan, so they are not new. If you need help, do you sit down and fold your arm? Certainly not. If the president sits down, this same set of critics will still complain.

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interview

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Corruption fight should not become witch-hunt, nobody should be spared —Bwacha

The Senator representing Taraba South on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, speaks with SYLVANUS VIASHIMA on the 2016 budget proposal; President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption and other issues.

W

HAT is your take on the 2016 budget proposal presented by the president?

We have received the budget and are still studying it. There is a particular area that gladdens my heart and that is the fact that there is sufficient provision for capital projects. This is the first time we are having a very reasonable percentage for capital expenditure. That is a sign of hope.

But there are other indices that need to be considered; which is why I said we have not studied the budget and that is exactly what we are going to be doing.

As an opposition legislator, what is your assessment of the president’s fight against corruption?

I did a motion to call for support for the fight against corruption. The president’s body language appears to have put everybody on alert now. However, I provided a guideline for the government. We, as the opposition party in the parliament, are not against the fight against corruption.

The president has our full support but we have also advised Mr President to be careful with those around him whose hands might not be clean and would want to make the fight against corruption a witchhunt.

We are not saying any PDP member that has stolen money should be spared.

As a founding member of PDP, I don’t support corruption in any form and I made that clear even in my motion that poverty, which is one of the major causes of corruption, does not know PDP or APC or any political party. So, the president must carve a niche for himself; he must define the parameters that will inform his fight against corruption. We have spoken our minds; nobody should be spared. The fight must be seen to be holistic rather than selective.

On the whole, it is a very good move that should be embraced by all, irrespective of political, religious, or other sectional affiliations.

What is your assessment of this current administration’s performance so far?

What stands out in favor of the administration is that Nigerians generally believe that the president wants to fight corruption and it is a very good thing. We are happy about it.

On provision of infrastructure, we are going to study the current budget and see the general trend in terms of infrastructure. You know that the budget that is ending now is the PDP budget. We can only assess the performance of this administration largely based on the implementation

APC to take over Taraba State?

The judgement of the lower court embarrassed even some APC members. We were all embarrassed by that judgement. I am not a judge, though I studied law; but even a law student will tell you that something went wrong somewhere. We have a law that is subsisting. Let me not go into the details because the judgement has already been appealed. I have no doubt in my mind that whatever God has planned would definitely stand. I am not afraid; I am very confident that God loves Taraba and has a programme for the state. I am sure that there wouldn’t be any distraction. It will all end well for the ultimate good of Tarabans.

Tell me about the scholarship scheme you just launched?

This is meant for children from underprivileged homes who need assistance. It is largely for orphans and children who are very promising but lack the wherewithal. I have been embarrassed to find the names of children whose relatives are well-placed in the society on the list and when I discovered that; I got angry knowing that whatever you do with people, such occurrences are bound to be there. It is meant to be an intervention fund for children who cannot afford going to school.

I have been taught by Christ to give thanks to God in all things and at all times.

This informs my decision to hold the thanksgiving to thank God. I am one person who has enjoyed so much grace from God in so many ways and I feel it is imperative that I make out time to at least say thank you to Him for having me in mind.

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha

of the 2016 budget under scrutiny.

Now you must understand the fact that I am from the opposition does not make me a street critic; I’m not. I study what is going on at the moment and I study the minds of Nigerians to know what they want so that when I criticise, it will be a well-informed criticism. If the government of the day decides to make mistakes, of course, we in the opposition will cash in on the mistake to retake power. We would reclaim the government. But on the whole, I think it is too early to begin to assess this government. That will appear as though you are making assessment from a biased mind. As a PDP man, I will not hesitate to cash in on the mistakes of the ruling party to my advantage but of course, not at the expense of or to the detriment of the Nigerian people; their welfare is my overriding concern.

What is your reaction to the judgement of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that favoured the

This is the first time we are having a very reasonable percentage for capital expenditure.

That is a sign of hope.

But there are other indices that need to be considered

What informed your decision to initiate this scholarship?

I see lack, I see want, I see acute poverty in the faces of my people so I decided to sacrifice. It is not because I have too much but the little I have; I believe in sharing with others. You will be surprised how this little support will help some families. It gives me immeasurable joy knowing that some children are taken off the streets to the classrooms just because of the little I am able to spare. It is also a way of giving back to the society that has been so good to me in more than one way.

How many students have benefitted from your scholarship scheme so far?

From inception, we have almost 2,000 students who have benefitted from the scholarship so far and there are also widows and other women who are to benefit from wrappers, food stuff and other things, especially those women who lost their husbands to the crisis in the area.

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Sunday Tribune

Issues that will shape the Nigerian polity in 2016 continued from pg 31

eering promises, which drew directly from its “change” mantra, leading to Nigerians and the international community reposing so much confidence in the ruling party at the centre.

As expected, the party has continued to reiterate its commitment to its promises to Nigerians, pleading with them to wait until this year when it would present a budget fully prepared by its elected officials. While the Federal Government has promised massive jobs, conditional cash transfer and many other social and infrastructural transformations in the New Year, there is no doubt that Nigerians will expect these promises to come to fruition quite soon in the New Year, given politicians’ penchant for empty promises. As captured by The Economist in its 2016 forecast for Middle East and Africa, the patience of the Nigerian electorate who were buoyed by the APC’s posturing and policies might be too short in the New Year, especially given the long time it took for the president to set up his cabinet of ministers. Also, they will expect to see a sharp difference in governance across boards, especially in the states where most APC now have a majority of governors.

Anti-corruption fight Another issue that is expected to shape Nigeria’s politics in the New Year is President Buhari’s fight against corruption.

Though Nigerians have differed on the ongoing anti-corruption drive and the approach, with some describing the ongoing effort as selective, there is unanimity of views that corruption is gradually being fought, though some remain skeptical about the end results. While President Buhari has come out to reveal that the Federal Government will reclaim about 350 billion dollars of the country’s looted funds in 2016, there is fear that the focus on PDP supporters and the loyalists of the last administration will leave a large chunk of the nation’s resources in the hands of suspected corrupt APC members, who appear to be enjoying the ruling party’s protection.

Another issue of serious concern on the fight against corruption is whether justice will be served and that too speedily, as past cases of corruption dragged on for years and ended up being undecided.

Though it was heart-warming that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN) said that there will be no provision for plea bargain in the prosecution of public officers who stole or misappropriated funds, political observers have noted that speedy delivery of justice will be essential to the anti-corruption drive and the retrieval of the nation’s resources.

Party politics Though likely not to be a key issue because it is not an election year at the national level, 2016 will still prove to be central to the stability of the Federal Government and its ability to fully focus on the development of the country. While the internal struggle in the ruling APC appeared to have waned, there is no doubt that horse-trading and intrigues thrown continues pg 36

Senator Bukola Saraki, Senate President

Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

up by the configuration of the party have not been solved, thus a likelihood of the replay of events in the New Year. It will be recalled that several leaders of the party struggled for the leadership of the National Assembly, with some notable ones coming out of the struggle with bloodied

noses. While peace appears to have been restored to the National Assembly, however, watchers of political events have stated that the storm is far from being over, as the House of Representatives only appeared to have bottled up some sentimental issues regarding the constitution

of committees and their leadership.

Secondly, key figures in the APC who are reported to have their eyes on the presidential seat in 2019 will, no doubt, see the New Year as the best time to launch continues pg 36

People to watch in 2016 Buhari Nigeria’s president, Buhari, is about the biggest Nigerian to watch in the New Year, as his actions, intentions, body language and predilections will shape governance and affect the country in a lot of ways.

Already, his no-nonsense mien and personality have been said to be paying off in the fight against corruption. However, his “slow” approach to governance is already receiving knocks from Nigerians and the international community. 2016 is expected to be Mr Buhari’s real test as a president as he will now be judged based on the performance of his budget as well as actions and inactions. For the man who belonged to everybody and belonged to nobody, this is the year to turn words into actions and walk the talk.

Buhari’s ministers While some ministers are seen as strategic to the activities of government, there is no doubt that all eyes will be on ministers in Buhari’s cabinet given the length of time it took to assemble them and the enormity of the task before them. The ministers of agriculture, defence, works, power and housing as well as solid minerals, among others, will be the centre of attractions for Nigerians and the international community due to the strategic importance of their ministries. While the Ministers of Agriculture and Solid Minerals, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Dr Kayode Fayemi respectively, are expected to drive the diversification of the economy to agriculture and solid minerals and ensure food security and alternative revenues for the country despite the adverse effects of insurgency on farming in the North-East and other factors, the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), oversees a three-in-one ministry that has great bearing on the infrastructure of the country, especially the

electricity and roads sectors, which are of great importance to Nigerians and their well-being. For the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Dan Ali, whose ministry is directly linked with the security and safety of Nigerians, especially at a time it faces challenges of insurgency, Nigerians and the international community will expect him to take charge and give credible leadership to the security apparatuses of the country in their search for peace and stability.

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State The governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has distinguished himself as the loudest opposition voice in the country, taking up issues with the policies and postures of the APC-led Federal Government whenever he felt such were against Nigerians or his convictions. From the economy to the fight against insurgency, Fayose has cut the figure of an opposition leader, speaking for the PDP and the people in some instances, though he remained a controversial personality before Nigerians, with people holding divided views on his personality and style of governance.

A man of strong conviction and courage, Fayose is not likely to deter from the path he has chosen for his people and his party in 2016; he is certainly one of the governors to watch.

Dr Bukola Saraki The president of the Senate, Dr Saraki will be a major player in the politics of the National Assembly, where he appears to have more loyalists than those fighting him over the exalted seat. His dalliance with the senators elected on the platform of the PDP and support from his APC colleagues will steady the Senate in his favour any day, analysts said, but will the Senate be stable enough to support the Presidency if anything untoward happens

to Saraki?

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele is, by no means, one of the biggest names on the list of those to watch out for in 2016. Apart from supervising the financial base of the country, the policies and actions of the CBN have direct bearing on the average Nigerians and they will be at the receiving end of any measure taken by the apex bank to stabilise the Naira in the face of continued slide of the Naira to the dollar.

Secondly and most importantly, the question analysts are asking is whether the body language of the president favours Emefiele seeing out his tenure, given the fact that he was appointed by the past administration.

EFCC chairman The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, will, no doubt, be one of the key figures to watch in the New Year.

Already, the commission has begun to prosecute the massive arms deal corruption allegations, as well as many other malfeasances allegedly perpetuated under the past administration. The commission has also received several petitions containing allegations of corruption against immediate past governors, with many of them already invited by the commission while a few are already facing prosecutions.

Magu’s commitment to fighting graft will be further emboldened in the New Year as further revelations will be made, making him a cynosure for Nigerians and the international community who expect corruption to be fought drastically. However, his ability to rise above pettiness and drop the selective justice tag already being pinned on the Buhari administration will go a long way in distinguishing him.

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Kaduna APC’s gathering storm Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

W

HAT started as containable political ember in Kaduna State is gradually becoming a huge fire that could threaten the very existence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, with the recent announcement of the suspension of the Senator representing Kaduna Central District, Shehu Sani from the party for 11 months.

On Monday 28th December, 2015, the APC in Ward 6, Tudun Wada North, announced the suspension of Senator Sani, a development which political watchers in the state said was long expected because his relationship with the governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, had deteriorated beyond imagination.

Sani, it would be recalled, had been in a somewhat running battle with the state governor, El-Rufai over some political differences bothering on government policies and the reported maltreatment of those loyal to the senator in the scheme of things in the state. But all along, despite the open confrontations and disagreements, the matter was managed by both parties while the national leadership of the party, faced with different other key issues such as the National Assembly leadership crisis and the recent Kogi State governorship election conundrum turned deaf ears to the rumbles in Kaduna.

The matter, however, appeared to have reached a boiling point two weeks ago, with the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Salisu Wusono, announcing that the party had sent a letter to the Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Senator Shehu Sani, inviting him to appear before a disciplinary committee.

The committee, according to Sunday Tribune investigations, was set up by the acting chairman of the party, Alhaji Shuaibu Idris, to enable the lawmaker to defend himself over what the party termed as his ‘anti-party stand’.

But the party’s spokesman had expressed displeasure that the Senator ignored the invitation extended to him and advised the lawmaker to appear before the committee within the seven days’ notice or face the wrath of the party. Undaunted, the lawmaker maintained his stand and refused to appear before the committee, noting that the signatories to the letter were unknown to him.

Speaking through his adviser on Politics and Ideology, Suleiman Ahmed, the senator stated categorically that the letter was rejected on the grounds that the signatories of the letter and party address were unknown to him, saying: “If the address of the party office in Kaduna, that the senator knows, has been changed, he is supposed to be informed.

In the same vein, if an acting chairman was appointed for the party, he should have been notified.”

In the letter of suspension dated December 27, 2015, obtained by Sunday Tribune and signed by three members of the party executive in the ward including the secretary, Ahmed Abdulhamid; the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Auwal MaiAnguwa and the ex-officio member, Aminu Alilan, the party accused Senator Sani of dividing the party in the state.

Other allegations levelled against the senator were his consistent attack of the governor in the media and the nonconformity of his statement on national issues with those of the state governor and the government of Kaduna State.

“In view of the foregoing, we have unanimously agreed that Senator Shehu Sani should be suspended for a period of eleven months,” the letter stated, warning the lawmaker to refrain from involving in or attending party activities in Kaduna State henceforth.

However, in a swift reaction, Senator Sani’s aide, Ahmed, said the authors of the letter were ignorant of the party’s constitution, saying, “the purported suspension will not deter Senator Sani from challenging el-Rufai over any policy that is anti-people; rather it would energise him the more.”

But the state chapter of the party went ahead to address a press conference on Tuesday, 29 December, explaining why the party had to endorse the suspension of the senator.

The spokesman of the party, Wusono, alleged that apart from the lawmaker’s disloyalty to the party and the governor, the senator was found to be inciting youths, especially those in Southern Kaduna to disparage the governor or to ridicule him.

“The lawmaker was pitching the youths against the governor. For a state with fragile peace like Kaduna; this is unacceptable,” the publicity secretary declared but in his reaction, the senator said he would not be intimidated.

Speaking on his suspension, Sani threatened to take legal action against the Shuaibu Idris-led executive, because, according to him, they don’t have the mandate to suspend him. Similarly, the lawmaker’s loyalists have also chal-

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna State Governor

Senator Shehu Sani, Kaduna Central

lenged the legality of Idris as the party’s acting chairman.

In a statement made available to Sunday Tribune, Shuaibu Danladi Wada, had insisted that Idris’s posturing as the acting chairman of the party was an illegality, noting that he [Wada] was the duly elected state deputy chairman of APC and not Idris. Buttressing his point, Wada alleged that Idris, who is now parading himself as the party’s acting chairman, to the best of his knowledge, never participated in the election that saw them emerge as party leaders, saying: “It is legal and logical in the accordance with the party’s constitution for me to assume the position of acting chairman of the party. The purported claim by Alhaji Shuaibu Idris as the new acting chairman should be disregarded by the APC supporters.”

Interestingly, the three signatories to the letter of suspension sent to Senator Sani also denied ever appending their signatures to suspend the lawmaker.

Speaking to newsmen, they insisted that their signatures were forged, saying: “The whole letter is forged and none of the ward executives appended his signature or is even aware of the suspension [until it was made public]. That is why we called for a meeting to make our positions known to the world. What happened was that we had a meeting and we did not reach any conclusion. It was on that basis that we requested him (Senator Shehu Sani) to come and explain some of the issues raised against him.

“The party shall investigate the sources of this statement, because the three executives mentioned to have signed the statement have denied knowledge of it,” the chairman of the APC in Tudun Wada ward, Abbas Mohammed said.

Also piqued by the ongoing development, the Forum of APC ward chairmen in Kaduna South have, however, decided to intervene and resolve the crisis, thus its meeting of last Wednesday, 30 December, 2015, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) press centre.

The spokesman of the forum, Mr Ado Mohammed Sani, disclosed how the forum tried to reach to the two gladiators in the melodrama, noting that when the crisis started, they made effort to see the governor and the Senator.

“We invited the senator and the governor; we spoke with the senator first and we heard his own side of the story while we also contacted a top government official, who promised to arrange our meeting with the governor. But to our dismay, the government official told us that the governor was not in town; only for us to hear that he was holding a meeting with some of the ward executives at the polo ground.”

Mohammed Sani further alleged that at the said meeting, held with the ward executives, they were asked to append their signatures on a paper without knowing what it would be used for.

But how did matters get so worse between two hitherto jol-

ly friends, Senator Sani and El-Rufai, who stood side by side to wrest the state from the grip of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seven months ago. While issues of policies and treatment of party members have been put forward by the senator, informed political observers have noted that the issue at hand is more about the control of the party structure ahead of the 2019 governorship election, with the governor said to be eyeing another term in office while the senator might also want to take a shot at the seat.

An APC youth leader in Kakuri, Kaduna South, who pleaded for anonymity said: “we have been expecting it since, because everybody knows that the senator and the governor were not in good terms. The two jolly fellows have now turned to sworn enemies.”

However, elders and stakeholders of the APC in the state have begun efforts to resolve the crisis facing the party in the state, noting that the party “is disintegrating.” They called on the headquarters of the party to intervene before the party goes into extinction.

The statement, which was signed by a party elder and a former Commissioner for Education in the State, Mr Maitaimaki Tom, called on the national leadership of the party to arrest the drift arising from absence of an effective and functional party leadership in the state.

Other stakeholders who signed the statement included: Dr Stanley A. Mamman, Mr Joel Giwa, Senator Lawal Aliyu (Silver), Alh. Auwal Isah Gote, Hajiya Hauwa Baba-Ahmed, Alh. Yaro Makama Rigachikun, Mohammed Kabir Ajuji, Murtala Abubakar, Alhaji Aminu Sani, Alhaji Kabir Salihu.

The names also included Hajiya Hafsat Mohammed Baba, Hajiya Aisha Galadima, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Ambassador Sule Buba, Alhaji Kabir Umar, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro and Abdullahi Tanimu.

The statement advised the governor to re-visit his governance strategies, which “are alienating large numbers of citizens from him and our party,” saying: “The purported suspension of Senator Shehu Sani is one example of the result of the degeneration, which is bound to occur as a result of the hijack of the remnants of our party by a clique that believes it owes its loyalty only to the governor.”

The group also charged the governor to lead with compassion and sensitivity to inclusiveness and respect for the citizenry, promising to sustain its efforts to ensure that the APC party “stays true to its ideals and commitments.”

As Nigerians await further developments on the suspension of Senator Sani and especially the step that the national leadership of the party will take in addressing the issue, political observers conversant with the politics of Kaduna State have noted that the APC might be walking into troubled waters in the state if the current issues are not speedily and decisively dealt with.

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thepolity

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Sunday Tribune

Oil price, anti-corruption fight, others to shape Buhari’s govt in 2016 continued from pg 34

their bid if they must be seen to be setting forth at dawn.

Already, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and Senate President Bukola Saraki have been identified in this category, with political watchers also not ruling out President Buhari or one of his trusted allies from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) block. How the ambition for 2019 will not scuttle the plans of the APC or derail the government, therefore, remains a key issue, as observers identified it as a major albatross of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government during its 16 years reign.

Also expected to be a major issue in the New Year is the survival of the PDP. Battered, bloodied and weak, the party will hold its National Convention in March 2016, but few weeks to that landmark event, its leadership is still locked in crisis over the National Chairman’s seat.

Apart from this, the defeat suffered in the last election is said to have done so much damage to the psyche of the party that most of its members appeared to be disoriented. Right now, analysts say, the survival of the party depends on how the current National Working Committee (NWC) and remaining committed leaders are able to restructure it and give it a new outlook ahead before and during the convention, beginning from its new set of leaders. If they fail in this task, however, Nigerians can as well resign to fate of coping under a single party system, which is not likely to be in their interest or quickly pray for the emergence of another credible opposition party.

Governor Ayo Fayose, Ekiti State

Will the APC stay strong and withstand the battle for its soul being launched from within? Will the PDP survive beyond the March 2016 convention and come out stronger ahead of the 2019 general election? These are questions that 2016 will answer.

INEC and other issues Also germane to the 2016 discourse is the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) under President Buhari. Already, it has organised two elections under Professor Mahmood Yakubu, which observers noted have fallen below expectation compared to the era of former chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, with the two elections declared inconclusive due to different circumstances while the card reader challenges experienced in the last general election seven months ago remained uncorrected. Though the Executive Director of the Human Rights Monitor and constitutional lawyer, Mr Festus Okoye defended the commission under Yakubu, noting that “there is nothing strange or mythical in having inconclusive elections. It is part of the electoral process,” Nigerians have begun to watch INEC with careful eyes, comparing the INEC chairman and the incumbent government’s activities with Jega’s and the Jonathan administration. With elections set to hold in Edo and Ondo states this year, there is no doubt that INEC and credible elections will remain on the front burner at some period in the year. Will the commission distinguish itself or drown into the past?

The Kogi conundrum, which has seen legal fireworks being thrown from different directions against the governorship election that produced Yahaya Bello as governorelect following the substitution of his name for that of the late governorship candidate of the party, Prince Audu Abubakar and the Bayelsa rerun election, where only one local government is in contention but is capable of changing the course of the election are some of the other critical issues the country will have to deal with in the not-toodistant time.

opinion NAFDAC laboratories and scientific education

By Martins Ikhilae IN a bid to boost efficiency in service delivery, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control [NAFDAC] has made the continuous acquisition of stateof-the-earth scientific operational equipment top most in its list of priorities.

This has brought about the sustenance of modernised laboratories in the nation’s geopolitical zones. Aside the fact that standardisation of these facilities have greatly aided the agency’s operations, there is also the academic development implication of NAFDAC’s ultra-modern analytical laboratories.

Undoubtedly, the agency has over the years, undertaken series of life-saving activities which successfully embossed its characters and brand in the hearts of Nigerians in view of its activities which revolve around the provision of professional and systematic supervision/regulation of production, circulation as well as administration of regulated products of the agency.

Understandably, it is in an attempt to execute its statutory mandate, that NAFDAC provides scientific analysis for products that fall within its purview such as Food, Drugs, Cosmetics, Herbal preparations, Chemicals, Packaged water etc. This certainly must have necessitated the strategic localisation of NAFDAC’s scientific laboratories across the nation.

Interestingly, it can be competently asserted that aside their original status of conducting analytical services for state offices of NAFDAC, including some private clients, the laboratories have equally come to the rescue of the nation’s higher institutions in the aspect of helping to standardise scientific education. They have indeed adopted the patriotic responsibility of training students of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Micro-Biology and other related disciplines who are regularly deployed to the laboratories to acquire industrial training experiences.

This, no doubt, in corroborating assertions of the beneficiary undergraduates has remained a major leap in the age-long effort to boost practical training in the sciences while simultaneously holding the impression that by spreading its facilities nationwide, NAFDAC has helped

numerous Nigerian undergraduates who are pursuing various degrees in the Sciences to have readily accessible laboratories for their Students Industrial Work Experience scheme [SIWES] as well as Internships.

Kudos must therefore go to the Dr Paul B. Orhii-led NAFDAC management team for its relentless commitment to the internationalisation of the agency’s operations which have successfully brought about incessant upgrading and acquisition of modern facilities for NAFDAC laboratories which invariably rubbed off positively on Nigeria’s scientific education which is currently earning global standards through the agency’s laboriously-procured facilities.

Commendably, most NAFDAC laboratories are of very high global standards having been duly certified by the relevant world bodies. By moving students through virtually all units of the facilities during the SIWES programme, the agency has successfully ensured that the training being accorded students across the country through the instrumentality of the agency’s laboratories exposes them to different mandates and job specifications by according them access to the various analyses being undertaken by the units.

Surprisingly, rather than experience a gross reduction/ decline in its operational ability and capacity, the agency’s laboratories are daily becoming unbelievably active and responding to modern job challenges owing to unprecedented level of sustainability via maintenance and procurement when and where necessary. This, of course, has brought to the fore the need for successive management to evolve eloquent willingness aimed at maximally sustaining legacies.

Expectedly, the agency’s laboratories have unarguably remained an out rightly viable means of according practical trainings to upcoming scientists in the nation as they are bound to be comfortable with their instructors and supervisors since they are able to practically access/visualize what they were only theoretically taught at their respective citadels of learning.

With ultra-modern and ideally functioning scientific facilities, coupled with adequately seasoned workforce who are very patient as well as commendably researchminded, it has become a unique training ground that the nation’s teaming students of science discipline will continue to remember in their quest to become successful scientists.

However, authorities of the nation’s higher institutions have averred that reports forwarded to the schools upon the completion of industrial trainings {ITs}by these science students at the agency laboratories indicated that they indeed were accorded very wide and sound exposures. They are also reported to have exhibited remarkable improvement in their understanding of practical laboratory analysis which invariably is typical of sciences where commitment/interest, a suitable research environment as well as modernized facilities are required to bring about impressive results.

There is no doubt that maximum commendation must be accorded current visionary and patriotic management team of NAFDAC for sustaining high operational qualities in its set of laboratories located in eight different locations across the nation which of course portends a very good and great omen for the nation’s determination to boost scientific education, research and analysis.

NAFDAC’s input into the nation’s socio-economic and educational advancement cannot be underemphasised since science they say is the bedrock of modern society and thus the onus rests on the nation to compulsorily possess facilities capable of competently training upcoming and existing scientists which would compare with their counterparts internationally.

•Ikhilae a Lagos-based Public Affairs Analyst writes via martinsikhilae@ymail.com.

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opinion

3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

Dogara at 48: A Speaker’s giant strides

By Iliya Habila

T

he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Dogara Yakubu, who clocked 48 years a day after Christmas, decided to “celebrate” his birthday in Gwarangah, his home village in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State with the ordinary people. Were it not for the cutting of his birthday cake by his amiable Wife, Gimbiya and his daughter, Chimel in his Gwarangah residence, December 26, 2015 would have passed just like any other ordinary day.

In fact, even before the member representing Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Hembe Ihembe, on December 22, 2016, moved a motion for the house to wish Dogara happy birthday, the media, especially the social media platforms were awash with reports of his birthday.

What did you expect from Nigerians, for a man who has achieved so much at just 48? But the response of Dogara to the birthday song reflected his philosophy, his character and personality. Reacting to the surprise motion and the birthday song by the Lawmakers, he said the birthday wish only reminded him of one thing: that he had lost a year!

Nevertheless, he promised to rededicate the rest of his life serving God and humanity.

I found it difficult to let the auspicious event go unnoticed, even if it is in line with the philosophy of Speaker Dogara, who does not celebrate his birthday in a grand style. But I believe he may be persuaded to do so at least when by God’s grace he clocks the Golden Age of 50. I promise to join his numerous well wishers to celebrate it, even if for the fact that God has spared his life for those years.

Born in Gwarangah village of Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, a day after Christmas (December, 26 1967), Dogara has made an indelible mark in the history of this country.

Rising from a minority community in the North to occupy one of the most coveted positions in the country, the history of Speaker Dogara’s glorious ascend to the fourth position in Nigeria is both through divine providence and by dint of hard work, honesty dexterity, sincerity and accommodation.

For it is providence that has made the speaker to emerge victorious on three conservative periods at the polls to represent the good people of Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Constituency, Bauchi State first on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and currently on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC). That feat is unprecedented in the history of representative democracy in the constituency and the state in general. It is also through dint of hard work, honesty and trustworthiness and reliable representation that his constituents kept faith with him and broke the jinx in that respect.

A teacher, lawyer-turned politician, Speaker Dogara earned the confidence of his constituents even before he joined active politics in 2005. As a private legal practitioner, Dogara actively participated in the struggle for the political, economical, social and cultural emancipation of his constituents.

Then God saw the sterling leadership qualities in the young Dogara and was ap-

Dogara

pointed a Personal Assistant to the former Minister of State, Power, Alhaji Habibu Aliyu in 2005. In that position, the speaker sustained the gesture of assisting his constituents and that explained the reason he was persuaded to contest the 2007 elections to the House of Representatives to represent them. With his victory at his polls, the speaker who obviously knew the daunting task before him, quickly settled down for the duties ahead. It is to his credit that many youths in his constituency were employed in various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government between 2007 and 2011. The speaker also launched an empowerment scheme under which countless number of his constituents including women, youths, traditional, religious and other opinion leaders benefitted. Many youth and women were trained in different kinds of trades, after which they were provided with items and cash to start their businesses in the skills they learned.

Other beneficiaries were assisted with funds to embark on small scale businesses just as several others were given cash and motorcycles as another empowerment strategy.

Under Dogara’s education intervention scheme, several students have been assisted with bursary to further their stud-

ies in fields such as Law, Medicine, among others.

Many communities in Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State, which form his constituency have benefitted from infrastructural facilities such as water, electricity and instructional facilities. To say that one has lost count of Dogara’s intervention in socio-economic lives of his constituents is an understatement.

Little wonder then that Dogara, like the Biblical David of old, with divine assistance and support of his constituents navigated the murky waters of political maneuvers in his state from 2012 to 2015, winning the election again, against all odds.

Again, he displayed his courageous attributes by mustering the support of his colleagues in the 8th National Assembly to emerge the Speaker. A keen observer of Dogara’s decisions, actions and pronouncements since he assumed the position of speaker will no doubt see a leader who is committed to nation building. The quintessential lawyer has shown in both words and actions that he is a great leader who forgives, wants fairness in the distribution of wealth and positions. He is a leader who is prepared to sacrifice his personal ambition to accommodate other

Dogara’s personality, philosophy and character have endeared him among his friends and foes, the big and mighty, as well as the lowly.

interests.

At a retreat for Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the 97 committees of the House on December 14, 2015, Dogara urged them to lead their various committees in the war against corruption and graft. This is line with President Muhammadu Burahi’s stand on corruption.

There is no doubt that the legislative agenda proposed by Dogara and adopted by the House reflects the speaker’s desire to bring change and development to Nigeria in all facets of livelihood. Mention must be made of Dogara’s relentless efforts in ensuring the rehabilitation, resettlement and development of the ravaged North East. Besides the motion he and many members sponsored and was adopted, Dogara’s bill on the rehabilitation, resettlement and development of the sub region has passed through second reading in the Green Chambers of the National Assembly. When passed into a law and assented to by the president, an agency in the likeness of the Niger Delta Development Corporation (NDNC) will be established with the mandate of developing the North East.

“Majority of our people in the North East cannot enjoy this democracy and the situation calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to put the region in order.

“The activities of Boko Haram have led to widespread poverty and unemployment in the region. The insurgency has led to loss of over 700,000 people, destruction of property and businesses premises worth billions of naira.

“The establishment of the commission became inevitable if the people of the region must be given a sense of belonging in the nation.”, the Speaker said while leading debate on the floor of the House recently.

Dogara’s personality, philosophy and character have endeared him among his friends and foes, the big and mighty, as well as the lowly.

Perhaps, that explains the reason behind the Leadership Award to Dogara as the Politician of the year 2015 by the Leadership Newspaper. To sum up the rationale of the award, the paper in its introductory remark said: “For coming from behind, galvanising House members from differing political tendencies to win the speakership of the House of Representatives in a clear and transparent contest without the support of any of the party’s power centres; and for being politically adroit enough to win back the confidence of his party’s leadership after this has been accomplished to the extent of becoming the bridge and influence of the rapprochement between the National Assembly and Presidency, Rt Honourable Yakubu Dogara is LEADERSHIP Politician of the year 2015”.

Undoubtedly, it is this adeptness of Dogara that has led to the prevailing atmosphere of peace and tranquility in the House. The result is that it has ensured that members settle for a robust legislative business such as smooth plenary sittings, committee meetings, probes and chats with heads of ministries, departments and agencies.

So, as the Speaker rededicates his life to the service of the country, I pray God to provide him with more wisdom and skills to contribute to the development of the country.

Habila is the Senior Special Assistant to Dogara on Media and Publicity

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A

society is said to be governed by the Rule of Law when no one, including the leader and the led, is allowed to be above the law. It means that the principles of the law, the letters and spirits of the law are made manifest in the actions of government and its agencies at all times. Under the Rule of Law, the law is the king and the courts are its agents and mouthpieces.

In that society, the actions of government and its agencies are governed by legal principles and established laws as opposed to the arbitrariness that reigns in monarchical or autocratic settings.

In the aftermath of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Nigerians vehemently rejected arbitrary rule of the military and mounted a big clamour for a return of democratic rule. What the agitators were salivating about was the prospects of the Rule of Law, the main ingredient of democratic governance. The agitators were hugely relieved in 1999, when democracy was eventually restored.

Sixteen years down the road of democratic governance, the tree of rule of law is expected to have grown to adolescent; buzzing with energy and character. But one is saddened to report that the growth of Nigeria’s Rule of Law appears stunted and a clear evidence of that is easily gleaned from the comments by the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.

During his maiden Presidential Media Chat, on December 30, 2015, Buhari was asked why the law enforcement agencies under his watch have started resorting to self-help by disobeying court orders in respect of suspects who secure bails from the courts. The president pointedly declared that he will not let the suspects go, in view of the gravity of the offences they committed. He spoke specifically about the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki and the leader of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

It is a well-known fact that in the tripod upon which a democratic rule rests, the Judiciary retains the power of judicial review. The Courts can rule and overrule themselves until the final pronouncement by the apex court.

The courts are, however, vulnerable in the sense that they do not have an army or police of their own to imple-

Just before the close of the outgone year, I decided to take a long look at events and issues we discussed in this column and try to identify those ones that had been resolved but alas, I found none. We looked at issues ranging from insecurity, separatism, terrorism, religion and ethnicity, disaster control, extra judicial killings, rape and sodomy, cultism among primary school children to the many atrocities being perpetrated by herdsmen against their hosts. I decide to extract some quotes from some of these topics hoping they would prick our consciences enough to elicit some actions from the authorities.

On civil war I found very instructive, an interview with retired General Alani Akinrinade, a former Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff. He discussed many issues; but what interested me most was General Akinrinade’s regret (in retrospect) about the civil war in which he was a major participant. Hear him, “If I knew at that time what I now know after many years of going around the world, studying history and reading biographies, I just feel it was an unnecessary war.”

On agitation for biafra After a civil war that claimed between one and three million lives in a particular region, one would have expected the people in that region to tread softly even while demanding what they believed were their inalienable rights – the right to self-determination. I believe this should have been the approach of the pro-Biafrans whose protests have virtually brought life in the south eastern states (commercial and otherwise) to a standstill.

On religion Obviously, religion and ethnicity are the bane of development in Nigeria, yet here we are still placing a lot of premium on religious tourism (for that is what the pilgrimages are for many Nigerians) when there are no visible positive effect of such trips on the moral life of the nation. Decades back, a Nigerian pilgrim to Mecca and not too long ago, to Jerusalem (for Christians) on his/her

3 January, 2016

the lynxeye with Taiwo adisa

08072000046 taiadisbabatj@gmail.com

The Rule of Law please…

ment the orders they give. The democratic tripod simply operates on the pretext of blind trust; the trust that the executive will be faithful to the question of separation of powers and allow checks and balances. Where it is uncomfortable by actions of the legislature or even a leg of the Judiciary, it is not expected to resort to self-help; but exploit the avenues for checks and balances through and through.

Regardless of the offences the accused might have committed, the Rule of Law must remain sacrosanct, not because the president and others in the prosecutorial line are not aggrieved enough, but because we have a country

frontrow with Toyin Willoughby Muyi 0805 500 1769 toyeenz@yahoo.com

Continuing from where we left off return would reflect the spiritual transformation that he/ she experienced while on the pilgrimage. It is not so these days, as most of those who embark on such trips do so for commercial purposes – to sell food, clothes and jewelry in those lands and in some cases to push hard drugs. We are only helping to enrich Saudi Arabia and Israel, while we remain economically at the same spot.

On cultism among primary school children What started as a noble idea decades ago has now been so abused that as Frankenstein’s monster, it has gotten out of control and is fast consuming the lives of our children and the society at large. It has taken such a devilish and occult dimension that all forms of criminality are perpetrated by the different groups that exist all over our educational institutions. A frightening dimension is the introduction of cultism to primary schools, which are meant to be avenues for laying educational foundations but which are fast becoming grounds where cultism thrives.

On the atrocities perpetrated by fulani herdsmen When I wrote for the first time on the abduction and

Sunday Tribune

to run and should not be seen to lay wrong precedence.

The Rule of Law and democracy thrive on established processes. Where the process in a law making session is violated, the courts reserve the right to nullify a law that is the product of such process.

What the president said could satisfy the feelings of the emotion-laden, who would want the accused tied to the stakes on account of the revelations in the media. But the law does not operate by mob instinct. The entire processes must be undertaken at the courts before any of the accused can be pronounced guilty. I think the president should have attuned his mind to that reality in making his statement.

By that declaration, the president also appeared to have forgotten that Nigeria was just before the dawn of democratic rule a pariah nation on account of serious human rights violations perpetrated, especially under the regime of the late General Sani Abacha. He seemed to have forgotten that such human rights violations were perpetrated by agencies of government and that many of the officials who perfected the crimes are still serving today.

Issuing license to such agencies or individuals to shun the orders of courts would at best amount to a license to kill.

In recent times, we have seen some Gestapo operations by agents of the Department of State Services (DSS) against even one of their own, a former Director-General of that service. We have seen the Service’s decision to seize Dasuki’s homes, re-arrest Dasuki, Kanu and the Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, after they were granted bails.

President Buhari will be setting a bad precedent if all he would say is that the gravity of the offences demands that such persons must remain behind the bars. If he thinks the judges were wrong to grant them bail, he cannot be seen to be helping himself. He should tell the AttorneyGeneral to appeal the ruling, simple. Our constitution respects and preserves the powers of the President. But it does not set him above the law. Certainly, only the pronouncements of the courts in such contentious matters are legal and binding.

Buhari can prosecute whoever he believes has cases to answer. He should, however, not be seen to violate their human rights. Because as they say, a king is but for a season; no one stays on the throne forever.

subsequent release of Chief Olu Falae, I asked a pertinent question: is he really safe? I also suggested that we addressed the issue of these herdsmen, and the aggression they brought to their perceived right to graze their cattle wherever they wished. It appears to me that they are determined to import to the south the violence and mutual vendetta which has ravaged large areas of the country’s north and which have led to deaths of thousands as a result of clashes between these herdsmen and local farmers.

What happened on Chief Falae’s farm has confirmed the view that the mindset of the herdsmen is “Everything belongs to God. Every piece of land belongs to God and not to any individual,” or how else would one explain the audacity with which these herdsmen invaded the same farm, fully armed just to let their cattle chew off on another man’s farm of over one kilometre plantation of maize?

On rape and sodomy It is comforting that concerned mothers have taken up the serious issue of sodomy, which reared its ugly head a sometime ago at an all-boys’ boarding school in Kano - the Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo College, owned by a renowned economist, Professor Ibrahim Ayagi and which attracts elite children within and around Kano city.

Whatever happened to the issue? It has been swept under the carpet as usual.

On petroleum products and the economy May I ask where most of our leaders were when Chief Obafemi Awolowo built the economy of the western region to an enviable height in the first republic? All he had were resources from cash crops like cocoa. With this, he ingeniously built the first television station in Africa and constructed unrivalled infrastructures like the cocoa house, the liberty stadium, and many edifices in the then Western region. Don’t we have such ingenious leaders anymore?

Here’s wishing us all a prosperous and purposeful New Year, where these issues and more are given the attention they need.

39

3 January, 2016

on the

lord’sday

Sunday Tribune

With Bolanle Bolawole turnpot@gmail.com 07052631058

My man of the year 2015

A

ll over the world, individuals and organisations pick their “Man (or woman) of the Year.

There are no clearly defined rules or specific criteria for picking man or woman of the year.

The motives for, as well as the objectives of, the exercise vary from person to person and from organisations to organisations. Media organisations are particularly noted for celebrating man or woman of the year. Most times, you have as many man or woman of the year as you have appointing authorities. This is clear evidence that the criteria for the choice are as subjective as they are objective. Any time he acts as compere and ushers in Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, to deliver his sermon, Prof. Fola Aboaba is fond of speaking of “the moment we have all been waiting for is here”; meaning, then, that there is also man or woman of the moment. There are league matches of the week; star player of a match while work-places also have employee of the week or month. In all of these, the motive, most time, is to identify stars and talents and encourage or compensate them.

Conversely, however, there is man or woman of the year award for villainy. If such an award is to be given in Nigeria today, it will almost certainly go to the retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, erstwhile National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan. Not minding that we admit Dasuki to be deemed innocent until pronounced guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, revelations so far regarding what has come to be known as Dasukigate are benumbing enough to warrant jumping the gun, as it were. The diversion of 2.1 billion US dollars meant for the purchase of arms for a military battling Boko Haram has left many citizens aghast. The money became a bazaar that was shared out as campaign and slush funds even as soldiers were left to battle wellarmed insurgents virtually with bare hands. The puzzles in this matter are many. One: Dasuki was a senior Army officer and the military, thus, was his primary constituency. Ordinarily, one should expect him to have empathy (esprit de corps) for the military and be able to defend their interests. Two: Dasuki is a northerner and the insurgency is ravaging the North in a way that galls even outsiders, not to talk of someone who has affinity with the victims. That he could stand the continued pummelling of the north-east, watching soldiers scattering before Boko Haram, and still pandering to other interests shocks me to the marrow. Three: Dasuki became NSA because of the perceived failure of his predecessor to win the war against Boko Haram. Therefore, one should ordinarily have expected he would not allow anything come between him and the successful prosecution of the war.

Without doubt and regardless whether he succeeds to escape censure, this man wins my Man of the Year 2015 Award – Villainy Category.

Many people will pick President Muhammadu Buhari as Man of the Year 2015 not necessarily for anything that he has done or achieved so far but for what the vast majority of the people expect him to do. So much hope is heaped on Buhari to stop the rot in the system; arrest and discipline the looters of the nation’s funds; and turn things around for good. What made many to be so confident that Buhari will deliver include an antecedent that shunned ostentation; a Spartan lifestyle; and the commitment to the life of a disciplined military officer who shunned corruption and stood stoically on the solid rock of principles. In and out of office, he is seen as belonging to a class of its own, quite different from the corrupt leaders all over the place. This must be the quintessential biblical Job of our time who, despite the pervasive rot and the deprivations he had to suffer, maintained his integrity. Should Buhari win the prize of Man of the Year 2015, however, he will wear the badge not only for himself but for a lot of other interests. Buhari was not selfmade; put differently; Buhari was not made by Buhari alone. Buhari was vintage political failure turned to glittering success story. This must be the Abraham Lincoln of our time. Buhari as a roaring brand that he is today is the efforts of so many people. To start with, we must

salute the man himself for the austere lifestyle he deliberately chose to live. He could have been stinking rich; in this wise, he could have soiled his hands and stank to high heavens. Nothing would have differentiated him from the coterie of Nigerian leaders who flagrantly abuse the trust and confidence reposed in them by the people on the altar of selfish interests. Next, we have the solid band of supporters who elevated Buhari to the pedestal of a folk hero. This support, not waning, not waxing cold but solid and steadfast, was what made Buhari tick.

Important as this support was, however, it amounted to little for more than a decade; until political realignment favoured the emergence of Buhari as the arrow head of opposition forces intent on seeing off the government in power. Hitherto antagonistic forces found common cause and purpose to jettison age-old rivalries to forge a united front. Without this political engineering, Buhari would not have had the privilege of the bridges that allowed him gate-crash into zones hitherto firmly shut in his face. The people, who, for once, decided to take their destiny into their own hands, must be saluted for being resolute this time around; so also an electoral umpire that bent over backwards to distance itself from the impunity of the past. You can now see that my Man of the Year 2015 is a pot of soup professionally superintended by a handful of expert chefs. Buhari, as he steps unto the podium to receive my Man of the Year 2015 Award, does so as the representative of the forces that coalesced into bringing him this far. Just like the late MKO Abiola was the symbol of June 12, so also is Muhammadu Buhari the symbol of the forces that not only chorused CHANGE but also ensured that they brought it to pass.

If Buhari fails...

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that any of his ministers and, by extension, other officials, caught in the act of corruption will not only be relieved of his or her post but be charged to court. Good, and we wait to see because I know some will be caught pants down.

Call me a pessimist if you will but I believe corruption is ongoing right now in the Buhari administration.

Corruption has become so endemic that it will take more than a threat by the president to stop it. Until we begin to make scapegoats, the required change in the psyche and orientation of our people will not take place. Mr. President should, however, behave like a sub-editor who is trained to have eagle eyes that spot errors in any copy. Who authors a script notwithstanding, a good editor or proof-reader must believe there are errors lurking somewhere in there and be diligent enough

to fish them out. Buhari must adopt a similar mentality.

Wiping out corruption is essential if progress is to be made on all fronts.

I shudder to think what will happen if Buhari’s administration fails to live up to the expectations of Nigerians. If power supply remains erratic and we have more hours of darkness than those of light, then, this government fails.

If we continue to import fuel and endless queues remain a recurring decimal, then, Buhari fails. If fuel does not sell at the fixed price but people have to pay black market price for it, then Buhari fails. If prices of foodstuffs keep sky-rocketing, then, Buhari fails. A return to agriculture is sine qua non both to provide the people with adequate nutrition as well as have another important foreign exchange earner. If Buhari fails to achieve these, then, he fails. Ours have been a mono-cultural economy for so long with successive governments merely playing lip service to the diversification of the economy. If Buhari joins the bandwagon in playing lip service and does not develop other sources of income, especially foreign exchange earners, for the country, then, he fails. Education at all levels is in a terrible shape: Standards have fallen; the school calendar, especially at the tertiary level, has become confusion personified; the Ivory Tower is today as corrupt as the larger society; and not much benefit is gleaned from the academia by the society at large. If Buhari goes without salvaging the education sector, then, he fails. There are tens of thousands of youths roaming the streets without jobs.

It is said that a large chunk of them are not even employable. Buhari must do something about this or he fails. Unemployment is a time-bomb; the high rate of crime in the country today has been put at the door-mouth of the high level of unemployment in the system. Buhari must drastically reduce the staggering figure of unemployment or he fails. Many state governments cannot pay the salaries of workers as at when due; for a fact, many of the states are distressed. And, truth be told, the destiny and future of generations have been mortgaged on the altar of massive indebtedness by the states. Many states are not viable but are mere begging bowls. We have too many states; we have a horrendous number of local governments; the cost of governance is enormous and the entire federation needs restructuring. If Buhari fails to bequeath a more balanced federal to Nigerians, then, he fails.

There is so much to be done by Buhari. The above is by no means an exhaustive list. Yet, time is limited and human capability finite. Prayers as well as all hands must be on deck for Buhari to succeed. If the people’s hopes get dashed on Buhari, then, expect a disillusioned citizenry to cry out for hardliners and hard-line solutions.

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3 January, 2016

language&style

by Samson Dare 0805 500 1770 samsonadare@yahoo.co.uk

Frozen poultry!

S

AMPLE 1: “Stakeholders in Abuja affirm that until ongoing efforts for an elaborate probe of its income and expenditure is concluded, it would be unrealistic to even attempt guessing how many billions of naira was expended on the SURE-P scheme…”(Nothing Sure in SURE-P, the Nation On Sunday, November 8, 2015) I draw readers’ attention to the verb-form, is, which occurs in the following context: “efforts for an elaborate probe of its income and expenditure is concluded.” It should be clear that the verb (is) is in its singular form. It must be assumed that there is a noun somewhere whose singular form predicts or anticipates this singular form of the verb. In other words, the writer must have a rational basis for his choice of the singular form of the verb; whether that choice is right or wrong is a different matter altogether.

It is obvious that the report is about “probe”. The sentence in which the singular verb occurs definitely concerns a probe.

It may, therefore, come as no surprise that the reporter focuses attention on that word, a singular noun, allowing it to shape the grammatical concord of his structure. However, he is wrong, for the important word for the purpose of concord is not the word probe, which is singular, but the noun efforts which is clearly plural. Efforts…are to be concluded…That being the case, the verb should be changed to its plural form to reflect the plural character of the noun efforts.

At any rate, the verb are replaces is in the context under review.

Sample 2: “By now the smugglers of the poultry have begun to count their losses as millions of naira worth of smuggled imported frozen poultry were reportedly being seized…At this period, the prices of the product went sharply up. Not only did it go up, some retailers of the locally produced ones also decided to take advantage of the situation to increase their own price.

(Is Government Losing War Against Imported Frozen Poultry?

The Nation on Sunday, September 27, 2015) I draw readers’ attention to the verb-formwere which occurs in the following context: “count their losses as millions of naira worth of smuggled imported frozen poultry were reportedly being seized.”The verb-form (were) is undoubtedly plural, an indication that there must be a relevant noun/noun phrase somewhere in the structure whose plural form dictates that the verb must be plural. Could that noun be losses, an entity obviously in its plural form? Could that word have been the noun that suggested the choice of the plural form of the verb to the reporter?

The grammar and logic of the sentence fail to offer that noun as being relevant to the verb slot for the purpose of inflecting the verb for concord.

Could it be the word millions? For the sake of argument, let’s assume that that word is relevant to the verb slot as far as concord is concerned. Should that word, millions, be regarded as a singular or plural noun? Should we say, for example, “Millions of naira was spent…” or *“Millions of naira were spent…”?

Common sense and grammar would make the former the preferred structure. In any case, the word millions is irrelevant as far as concord is concerned.

To go straight to the point, the keyword for the purpose of concord is poultry. To make this point clearer, here is another way of presenting the structure: “smuggled imported frozen poultry worth millions of naira were repeatedly being seized.”

Now that it is presumably clear that the relevant noun item is poultry, the next issue that should interest us is whether that word (poultry) is singular or plural. The word poultry, let us note, is used to signify the flesh of birds or chicken. It should be obvious that the word is an uncountable noun. That type of noun is by nature singular. At any rate, the plural verb-form (were) should be replaced with the singular form: was.

Having tackled the problem of grammar (of wrong choice of the verb-form), we are confronted with the problem of style (which of course cannot be divorced from that of grammar).

Instead of the form was which we have proposed should replace the plural form (were), we now suggest that the form has should replace even the singular verb-form (was) we have logi-

Sunday Tribune

line

life with

Niyi Osundare

Random Blues cally come up with. In addition, the form beenshould replace being. Here is the proposed structure: “smuggled imported frozen poultry worth millions of naira has reportedly been seized.” Or, as we have it in the original version: “count their losses as millions of naira worth of smuggled imported frozen poultry has reportedly been seized.”(Readers should please note that the form has, like was which it replaces, is singular.)

Now we consider the pronoun it which occurs in the following context: “the prices of the product went sharply up. Not only did it go up, some retailers of the locally produced ones also decided to take advantage of the situation to increase their own price.”

What does the pronoun (it) which occurs between the words did and gorefer to? To answer this question, we must first answer the question whether the pronoun is singular or plural, a grammatically puerile question if ask me. To satisfy those who may be in doubt, the pronoun is in its singular form.

Again, what is the antecedent of that pronoun? The word to which the pronoun logically refers is prices. Let’s ask another ridiculously elementary question. What is the status of the noun prices---singular or plural? Of course, the noun is in its plural form. How can a singular pronoun have a plural noun as its antecedent? This is poor grammar, poor discourse! The pronoun required in the context under consideration is they, a plural item.

There are other points in the text showing the reporter as a careless writer. We have noted, for example, that the noun prices serving as the antecedent of the pronoun (it) is in its plural form. But later in the same context the noun is presented in its singular form: “to increase their ownprice.” This is curious to say the least. There is nothing in the context suggesting that the latter occurrence should be singular contrary to the plural form of the former. This, we may concede, could be a typo. But there are other grammatically contradictory indications that may make it difficult for one to think of the singular form as a typo.

Let’s note, as another example, the word product, a singular noun. That word may refer to the noun poultry which, as we have concluded, is a singular noun. There is grammatical harmony here, yes. Then there appears curiously a plural nominal item: ones. This occurs in the context: “the locally produced ones.” It is obvious that that noun refers to poultry, a word that has initially been referred to as product. This, no doubt, is a grammatically chaotic text. Could the word ones here mean pieces of poultry? At the risk of lexical repetition, it would be better to replace the word ones with poultry.

Sample 3: “According to a statement by the body’s Executive Committee, it said the decision was made having thoroughly reviewed the reports/findings of the NFF Disciplinary Committee and NFF Technical and Development Committee…”(NFF Sacks Keshi, The Nation on Sunday, July 5, 2015) Let us note the expression, “according to” opening the paragraph. That is an expression attributing some words to a person or group of persons. The words in question are uttered or issued by “the body’s Executive Committee”. The entire phrase reads: “According to a statement by the body’s Executive Committee.”

This is a perfect expression. The expression is then followed by this: “it said…” This bit is unnecessary; it is redundant, merely repeating the earlier expression. The expression “according to” already tells us that somebody said something. What should follow directly is what that person actually said.

In other words the clause, “it said…” should be eliminated so that we have: “According to a statement by the body’s Executive Committee, the decision was made…”

However, we may opt for a style which does not involve the opening statement, “According to…” We may, for example, decide to open the paragraph with the preposition “in”: “In a statement issued by its Executive Committee, the body said the decision was made…” Or: “The Executive Committee issued a statement saying the decision was made…” Or: “The body’s Executive Committee said the decision was made…” Or: “According to a statement by the body’s Executive Committee, the decision was made…” With imagination and flexibility, we can come up with a variety of ways in which this can be presented effectively.

The good old moon is caught In dawn’s perennial trap Say, the good old moon is caught In dawn’s perennial trap But its tough and tested nerves Are those that never snap

Round, round now, and shyly yellow Like a pumpkin ripe before its time Yes, round now and shyly yellow Like a pumpkin ripe before its time I can hear her tell the giggling stars “Hey, folks, old age is not a crime”

The third cock-crow has met The matriarch on a quite unkindly patch Say, the third cock-crow has met The matriarch on a quite unkindly patch The house saw the drama through its windows And shook with wonder from root to thatch

Tell me, moon, tell me quick Did you crack dawn’s pitcher or spill its milk Hey, tell me moon, tell me quick Did you crack dawn’s pitcher or spill its milk?

Your old bright robe now a shroud of rags You need a wardrobe of sober silk

Once a grey hint, a glowing arc in the sky Now shy yellow, a leaking ball of light Say, once a grey yellow, a leaking ball of light Now a shy yellow, a leaking ball if light The moon’s slow journey from dusk to dawn Leaves a trail of wonder, then a mortal fright

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune With Rita Okonoboh rosarumese@gmail.com 08053789087

tribunechurch 2016: Let us prioritise love of country —Clerics

By Rita Okonoboh and Seyi Sokoya

C

LERICS across Nigeria and beyond have reiterated the need for all to embrace peace and prioritise patriotism as we settle into 2016, in their New Year messages.

Pastor Oritsejafor

Primate Okoh

Bishop Badejo

We must embrace peace –Pope Francis Head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, in his message which was also in celebration of the World Day of Peace, on January 1, 2016, published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, called for overcoming indifference, and embracing peace.

According to the pontiff, “God is not indifferent! God cares about mankind! God does not abandon us! At the beginning of the New Year, I would like to share not only this profound conviction but also my cordial good wishes for prosperity, peace and the fulfilment of the hopes of every man and every woman, every family, people and nation throughout the world, including all heads of state and government and all religious leaders. We continue to trust that 2016 will see us all firmly and confidently engaged, on different levels, in the pursuit of justice and peace.

He also called on families, teachers, communicators, journalists, youths and civil society to contribute their quota towards ensuring that the world becomes a better place.

We must not lose hope —Abidoye Chairman and Spiritual Father, Cherubim And Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide Ayo Ni O, His Grace, The Most Reverend Dr. Samuel Adefila Abidoye, in his statement made available to TribuneChurch, tagged “Joy To The World, Hope For Nigerians,” based on Luke 2:10 – “Don’t be afraid, he said, I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” – stated that “As a New Year dawns on this country, I hope and pray that a time of new refreshing; indeed, a period of total turnaround will come on Nigerians, because our people deserve respite. I want to encourage our people not to lose hope, as there appears to be a ray of light at the bend of the road. I want to encourage all Nigerians, especially those directly affected by the activities of the insurgents, to forgive and forget, and give peace a chance.

He also commended government on the laudable plans in the 2016 budget as well as the unwavering fight against corruption, just as he urged government to work towards reducing the teeming number of unemployed youths and work towards upgrading the education sector.

We must talk less and act more —Badejo Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo, in his message, looked forward to a new year “in which we will leave behind much of the vices and tackle the challenges

of our country in the previous years. Aside from the social ills which have been flogged by practically everybody namely: corruption unemployment, bad leadership, collapsed infrastructure, I would like to see an overall change of attitude in Nigerians. Hope must not die and religion should not be demonised and swept aside.

“Nigerians must talk less and act more. Let us take God more seriously and revive our respect for the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. We must be more positive about humanity, ourselves, our country, about God, religion and the possibility of positive change.

Change will be granted us only if we unite to provoke it by guaranteeing the rule of law for everyone and every case.

Let us bring back personal and social discipline and prudence to our lives. Let our businesses, churches, artistes, sportsmen and celebrities engage in social responsibility activities in favour of the less privileged and we shall surely end 2016 on the path of restoration and prosperity.”

A special year of great blessings —Omoniyi For Bishop Titus Omoniyi of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Oyo Diocese, “The year 2016 is going to be a special year of great blessings if our leaders put the interest of the nation above personal interests. We all have sinned and we must ask God to forgive us. On the part of many pastors, many have forsaken the call and are now romancing with politicians because of money and thus, can no longer say the truth. They do not preach against sin but on prosperity and miracles but we cannot continue in sin and seek the blessings of God. Therefore we shall prosper as a nation if we all return to God in 2016.”

Let us pray for our leaders —Popoola According to the Bishop of Osun Diocese, Anglican Communion, The Right Reverend Afolabi Popoola, “As the Lord has enabled us to see the new year, everybody should work with the new government. It is clear from what we have heard from the president’s message, while presenting the 2016 budget, that he means well for the nation. I commend the federal government for restoring the old teachers’ training as it would improve the quality of teachers. This is because since teacher training colleges were closed, education has collapsed. However, these plans should not just be in words but should reflect in actions. We should continue to pray for the president and exercise patience. We should think well of Nigeria and it is by doing that that we can move forward.

We cannot condemn our leaders without praying for them. Let us pray that the government will succeed. The same thing applies to Osun State. However, the state government should not put too much burden on the people.”

Baba Abidoye

Bishop Popoola

Let us celebrate progress, build trust — Adelaja Nigerian-born Founder

Pope Francis

Continues on pg44

Pastor Adelaja

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3 January, 2016

Sunday Tribune

With Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 08074497425

churchnews

2016: Schism in APC will bring about new political party —Prophet Omitade Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

T

HE founder and General Overseer of Holy Trinity Authority Prophetic Church International, Prophet James Olatunji Omitade, has prophesied that 2016 will be “a year of reward for whatever you’ve sown”, saying how-

ever that some of the political events would “bring stability to Nigeria.”

Prophet Omitade, who dished out his 2016 prophecies during the church’s 2015 anniversary, said in 2016, “only those who are faithful to God and His Word would have peace of mind in 2016.”

According to him, “the

Federal Government should organise prayers so that its efforts to turn things around in the country would not go the other way round,” and also held that “the Central Government needs even more prayers to avert a division or disparity within the machinery of the government in 2016.”

He said: “There’s going to

be disparity and division in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in which some of its members would leave it to form another formidable political party in alliance with some PDP members.”

The cleric also predicted that “there’s going to be an uprising in the Niger Delta in 2016 just as there’s going to be trouble in some

nations that don’t worship God, with earthquakes and other natural disasters serving as their punishment.

“Next year is a year of reward for whatever everyone had sown: either good or bad.

According to him, “incidents in 2016 would bring stability to Nigeria. It’s not about the number of Chris-

Prophet Omitade

Methodist bishop harps on godly love

Divorce: Couples

should focus on each other’s strength —Cleric

By Tunde Ogunesan

Lauryn Obado- Lagos WITH the high rate of divorce in the society, married couples have been adviced to focused on the positive aspects of their relationship in order to have lasting marriages.

This advice was given by Rev. Dr. J.O. Olaniyan during the wedding ceremony of Adedayo Adekoya and Abosede Kumoluyi, the daughter of Prophet (Dr.) J.B. Kumoluyi, the General Overseer of The Word Bible Church in Lagos.

The cleric, who took his text from the book of Genesis 3:20, extolled the beauty of marriage saying that God intended for marriage to be everlasting.

He further stated that marriage is a gift given by God to promote social order and human happiness to save mankind from loneliness and barrenness.

“Couples should always find a middle ground during disagreements. When God brought Eve to Adam, the bible recorded that he fell in love with her. So also couples should find beauty in their marriage, he stated.

tians who just profess their Christianity but those who believe in God and keep His Commandments. The heavens will smile upon the faithful and the earth will be comfortable for them. Only the faithful ones would endure 2016.”

Speaking in Ekiti where his church is domiciled, Prophet Omitade said: “Ekiti people should pray for their governor to avert unnecessary hatred and onslaught against him, which would shake the state.”

On the economic scene, the cleric said “some banks will nearly close down.

Cash flow will be limited and some big companies would run at a loss” and also warned that “the health sector must be at alert owing to an unfortunate disease that would strike in the year.”

The Director of Studies, Pastor Jide Babajide (third left); the registrar, Pastor (Dr) Olubunmi Adeigbe (second right), surrounded by some of the lecturers of the institute at the 20th annual graduation service of the Christian Leadership Institute held at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Ibukun, Ososami, Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently.

Pastor tasks clergy on portraying Christ-like qualities

By Olaide Sokoya A cleric has urged Christians, especially those in the vineyard and groomed leaders, on the need to portray the qualities of God and be ready to fill the vacuum of God’s work.

Pastor Michael Ehimode, who was the guest speaker at the just concluded 20th annual graduation service of the Christian Leadership Training Institute held last week at the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Ibukun, Ososami, Oke-Ado, Ibadan also lamented that the church is seriously lagging behind and only surviving on its past glories.

Ehimode also queried on why the church no longer witnessed signs and wonders like before, adding that, “No one is taking after the likes of Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola, Prophets Babajide and Timothy

Obadare, among other great men of God. It is sad that we no longer find those that portray the qualities of these great men of God. The church has really changed from what it used to be. It is time we all stand and show our readiness to serve God

with all our hearts and do His will.”

85 students graduated at the event; 40 graduated with Advanced certificate, while 45 graduated with Ordinary certificate.

In his remarks, the Director of Studies of the insti-

tute, Pastor Jide Babajide, thanked God for the success of the event and also appreciated the commitment and steadfastness of the grandaunts, saying, “They should not forget the teachings and also be mindful of the leadership training received.”

Triumphant Assembly charges Nigerians to be health-conscious

By Remi Anifowose THE presiding pastor of Triumphant Assembly, City of David, Pastor Abiodun Olusanya, has charged Nigerians to make their health topmost priority by doing regular medical check-ups, just as he called on government and other stakeholders to put necessary measures in place to improve on the nation’s healthcare delivery system.

Olusanya gave the

charge at a free medical check-up/free lunch for over 500 people, a programme organised by the Triumphant Assembly, City of David, at the church premises, Oke Alaro, New Alao-Akala Expressway, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, recently.

He noted that the motive behind the programme was to show love and care to others, saying “Because God is love and the church is commis-

sioned to love and care, the church, Triumphant Assembly, decided to organise the free medical check-up so that people would know their health status.”

Also, residents of the host community of the church, Oke Alaro Estate, Oluyole Extension, commended the efforts of the organisers of the programme, Triumphant Assembly, for deeming it necessary to reach out to the needy.

THE Bishop, Methodist Church Nigeria, Wesley Cathedral, Right Reverend Olumuyiwa Odejayi, has urged Nigerians to love one another as demonstrated by Jesus Christ.

Reading from Isaiah 9: 2-7, Bishop Odejayi said that the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger was a demonstration of his love for humanity regardless of status, tribe and positions.

The cleric also enjoined the congregation to shun such vices as greed, covetous and greed to endear themselves to Christ who lived a life of holiness.

Odejayi also enjoined the people to share gifts with others as the season was a time of joy.

Also at Cook Memorial Baptist Church, Oja’ba, Ibadan, the presiding minister, Reverend Dr Isaac Awoniyi, ministering on the topic “celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ,” called on Christians to cleverly observe the reasons Christians celebrate the season.

43 tribunechurch

3 January, 2016

Primate Ayodele:

Security The security issue will take new dimensions. If Buhari puts pressure on the military, they will succeed. Our Air force must join our land troops to fight insurgency. It is advisable and better we fight it through air strikes. The issue of joint task force to fight Boko Haram will cause misunderstanding in the military. A group deadlier than Boko Haram will emerge.

Obasanjo, Ekwueme, Shagari, IBB need

Media houses We must pray so that we don’t lose any seasoned journalist through accidents and attack. And let’s pray that any media house doesn’t go up in flames.

Army/Police/Customs and Navy It is a year that much is going to be done in the Nigeria Police, in the DSS and in the army. So, the issue of security will still need a lot of prayers. I see crisis in customs. Let’s also pray against an Air Force plane crash and local aircraft land crash as well. I see the Police Pension Commission being probed. They should pray not to face unexpected challenges and police will do a lot of intelligence work this year.

We should rebuke fire in army and police barracks. The Nigeria Army must not allow American base in Nigeria.

prayers in 2016 Renowned prophet, Primate Elijah Ayodele, Founder/Spiritual Head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, shares his 2016 prophecies with KEHINDE OYETIMI. Excerpts:

P

OLITY From the spiritual realm, Nigeria needs prayers so that we can be together as one nation.

I see more groups agitating for Nigeria’s dismemberment. Nigeria should go into prayers and fasting from 1st to 14th January, 2016 so as to sue for peace and rebuke unrest. Nigeria will seek permanent seat in UN. I see new seaports in Nigeria.

I foresee that some will call for the review of the former confab and some will agitate for new confab. Buhari will want to probe Jonathan and this will expose a lot of things. We should rebuke building collapse in Lagos and Ibadan. Buhari and Tinubu will disagree, as a result of control and misinformation. They should seek the face of God to cancel the negative plans of people because this can break the All Progressives Congress (APC). I see their fight breaking up the APC and a new mega party will emerge from the remnants of APC and PDP. I also see Buhari’s CPC coming back with a bang if care is not taken because, some people will want to lift up the party. I see a Northern agenda playing out in two years’ time. We should pray against train derailment in Nigeria.

Some states will still owe. It’s a year in which Nigeria needs a lot of prayers because there will be lots of ups and downs in this government. If only they will listen, let the Nigerian government have a day for thanksgiving. Sunny Odogwu, Sunny Kuku, Arthur Eze should pray for success in their various expectations and also God’s protection. Ekwueme, Shagari, Obasanjo, Babangida should pray for God’s guidance and protection. Dangote should pray not to lose huge amount of money. He should also pray to rebuke fire outbreak, debts, and not to be bereaved or lose any court matter. Faleke’s case will be threatened because some powerful people will want to influence his case except he seeks the face of God. I see the federal government’s website being hacked. Halliburton scandals will give Buhari problems. Borrowing by this government will be widely criticised. Buhari must not play corruption with sentiments because a lot of unexpected people will be indicted and

there will be appeals from personal quarters. Government must not tamper with the amnesty programme because I foresee lots of problems. I see crisis in Niger Delta and there will be agitation for more development because of oil spillage. Some of the Chibok girls are pregnant and they will be used as suicide bombers. Believe me, we cannot see all of them again. Let us seek the face of God because it may cause problems for Buhari’s administration. I see the government finding information about getting the Chibok girls but it will be difficult for the government to get all of them. I foresee religious and ethnic crisis.

Buhari should be very careful of political sycophants. Let’s pray against political assassination. Government will invest more on agriculture, but in our own country, food prices will not be stable. I see crisis in Bakassi. The Nigeria government must take Biafra serious. The federal government will want to create employment but it will not work to a point and government will not be able to pay their salaries as expected.

Some PDP governors will want to cross to APC. PDP can only be stronger if they seek the face of God and do the right thing, otherwise, another party will overtake PDP. APC logo may be changed. Political enemies will disorganise the Bayelsa State Governor so that his second term bid can crumble. But if Governor Dickson seeks the face of God and works very hard, he will win a second term. Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, must not dump his party, APGA, otherwise his political future will run into trouble and some big wigs in the state will gang up against him. In Ondo State, if APC works very hard, seek the face of God and put the right candidate they will win. I foresee misconduct and irregularities in PDP. I foresee fresh crisis between Nigeria and some neighbouring countries. So, the issue of a joint force with other country will cause a lot of problems. Let’s pray we don’t lose any deputy governor. Let’s pray we don’t lose a one-time governor and minister. Ekiti State will have financial challenges and will borrow money. They will want to frustrate PDP in the coming

Sunday Tribune

election and Fayose should watch and pray over his life. Not all the governors will finish their terms. Rivers State should seek the face of God as APC is ready to do everything possible to win Rivers State.

There will be stalemate of results, cancellation, disorderliness, violence and unexpected shootings. Akwa Ibom APC needs prayers to unseat the incumbent governor. He must not relent in his efforts and he should seek the face of God otherwise APC will give him tough fight.

Religion I see the death of a popular Islamic scholar and a top pastor. I foresee bombing of mosques and general crisis in the religious sector. I see crisis in Anglican and Methodist church. Churches have to go into prayers because I see serious crisis in the land.

Senate/House of Representatives I see disagreement on a controversial bill between the House of Representatives and the Senate. Not all members of the House of Representatives and senate will finish their terms. Some speakers will be removed. There will be problem for Senate and House of Rep speakers and they should pray against the challenges ahead of them. The senate president will face challenges despite his efforts to make success, unless he follows his party. Money will cause problems in the house. I foresee a new building complex for the senate and House of Representatives.

The security issue will take new dimensions. If Buhari puts pressure on the military, they will succeed. Our Air force must join our land troops to fight insurgency

International Climate issues will be paramount at the global level and this will cause problems.

I see protests and terror attacks in Saudi Arabia. I also foresee challenges in the economy of Saudi Arabia and the League of Arabs will be concerned about things that will come up in Saudi Arabia. I foresee a major bomb scare in the country. Israel and America will have issues over Palestine. Lebanon will also face crisis. America should pray not to lose any of their aircraft. I foresee plane crash in Asia, Europe and the Middle belt. Let them pray to avert this. America should pray not to be attacked by terrorists. I see unnecessary killings and protests in America. I also see attack in Turkey. France must be careful of attacks and challenges. UK should be careful not to be attacked by terrorists and should also pray not to experience floods, drought, crisis in the parliaments and in the country.

Pope Francis should pray for good health and he will escape assassination. He should pray not to lose any Bishop in Catholic and also Cardinals. I see changes in African Union leadership. AU will face challenges over funds and security. AU will find peace where there are troubles in Africa.

Sports The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should pray so that they can succeed at the Rio Olympics in 2016, especially our dream team. NFF will face challenges and they should pray not to lose anybody in NFF. They will also have problems with NIKE. Let’s pray against damages in our stadium.

I see changes in some Nigeria club management. I see Three FC, Taraba Queen, Wikki Tourist, and Kwara FC changing their top management and their technical crew. Nigerian clubs can win a champions league if those people who are going to represent Nigeria seek the face of God. Health I see that Ebola is still very much around African nations and Nigeria’s health sector must be wary of this. We must pray against outbreak of unexpected diseases, cholera and bird flu.

Corruption Buhari is very sincere about his war against corruption. But I see him shooting himself in the leg because he is going to take on some powerful people in this war and they are going to fight back big time. I see more people being exposed for corruption that will shock Nigeria. I foresee the government trying to jail some corrupt top officials.

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‘We must talk less and act more’ Continued from

pg41

and Senior Pastor of The Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations, headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine, Pastor Sunday Adelaja, in his contribution, called for building faith and hope in Nigeria.

He commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for various successes recorded in the fight against insurgency, noting that “it is a resounding victory that needs to be blown from the mountain top. Continuing he noted that the content of the 2016 budget which heralds hope for Nigeriand in this new year and beyond, “should be enough cause for faith, hope and excitement to my fellow Nigerians in the coming year.

“Our journalists seem to be more concerned about pursing sensational news that could bring instant followership or readership. I think what Nigerians need right now is journalism of hope and faith.

We need to help our people build faith for a better future, build faith in themselves and build faith in their new leadership.

“Despite all the things that have not been done by this government of their promises, let us rather focus on what they have done in the short time they have had.

Let us build out faith on this little beginning so that the seed of our faith will result in the harvest of abundant change in the year 2016,” he noted.

I see a new Nigeria —Hajoh Senior Pastor of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Ilorin, Kwara State, Pastor Muyiwa Hajoh, stated that “It is with great joy that I welcome every Nigerian to this great year 2016, a year of revitalisation and all-round sufficiency.

You will agree with me that as the coming of the Lord draws closer, the world system is failing more and more and things are getting worse but God has kept this great country from going down. I see a new Nigeria in 2016 with an eye of hope that is N-new things/opportunities; I-innovation in all systems; G-gathering back our lost glory; E-enlargement in thinking; R-redirection of resources; I-insight in all industries; A-attitude in all sectors. Every Nigerian must fear God and avoid violence, in this new year.”

God is still interested in Nigeria —Olubo For Prophet Bayode Olubo of Housefavour Church, Lagos State, “God has revealed that those who will be favoured in year 2016 are the seed sowers and those who follow and serve Him genuinely.

There will be serious problems in the National Assembly and aside the Boko Haram sect and the Biafra protesters, other

Pastor Hajoh

Prophet Olubo

agitations will spring up.

“We must all stand to pray for Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari.

The negative intentions of some political holders would cause more fire outbreaks, however, irrespective of challenges, there will be peace in Nigeria, because it is not the absence of problems that makes one free, but the presence of God. Nigeria will record some losses, there will be political, religious and social exposure. New political parties will spring up and there will be rancour at the top. Above all, God is still interested in the affairs of Nigeria.”

Nigeria will overcome present challenges —Nwazuo For General Overseer, Revolution Fire Christian Ministry, Ojodu, Lagos, Prophet Emmanuel Nwazuo, “Nigeria is going through a challenging process that only God’s wisdom can help. The Lord told me to ask everybody to not only pray but to draw closer to God. Nigeria will surely overcome her present challenges whether her enemies like it or not. I want to appeal

What Nigerians need right now is journalism of hope and faith. We need to help our people build faith for a better future, build faith in themselves and build faith in their new leadership

‘Let us turn to God for revival’ NIGERIANS, both the leaders and the led, have been urged to turn to God so as to experience the revival needed for a better country.

The Mission Director and Senior Pastor of Lightbearers Evangelical Outreach Ministry International, Osogbo, Osun State, Prophet Makin Olaosebikan, gave the charge during the annual Lightbearers Retreat held between December 15 and 19, 2015 in Osogbo.

According to a press statement signed

by Apostle Samson Adeyemi, chairman of the retreat planning committee, a copy of

which was made available to TribuneChurch, Prophet Olaosebikan added that Nigerians need to humble themselves in prayer and seek the face of God for solutions to all problems.

The statement further quoted Prophet Olaosebikan as saying that God loves Nigerians and He is willing to intervene in the affairs of the country, adding that Nigerians should show love and understanding to each other.

The theme of the four-day retreat was ‘The Revival of the Prophetic.’

Prophet Nwazuo

to President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the cry of the people across the Niger as I see more frustrations coming from that end in 2016. Calling for the Republic of Biafra is not the solution to their problem but giving them what is due to them, treating them the way other regions are treated and making them to have a sense of belonging.”

He also warned President Muhammadu Buhari to be careful, especially of enemies within, but however, noted that God is in control.

2016 is loaded with abundance — Makinwa For Pastor J.O. Makinwa of CAC OrisunIfe Zonal Headquarters, Ibadan, prayers are necessary for breakthroughs in this new year.

According to him, “Effective prayer that would be result oriented is not an easy task. God has however made things easier for us by the gift of Holy Spirit who continues to intercede for believers, and likewise inspires them to know the mind of God in prayers when they tarry in His presence.

There is the possibility that you prayed all through the past year on what you consider important to you and you are yet to receive. Reposition yourself and await a new dawn of glory as the Lord shed light of grace into your path this year.

“There is a sound of abundance and the stream of ceaseless flow of the oil of gladness coming your way in this year. It doesn’t matter how long you have been languishing for lack of breakthrough.

What matters most is for you to act on the word of faith spoken by the mouth of the Lord. The little you have in your custody may seem insignificant but God can work with it to turn your life around. It is time to celebrate victory. No matter how your last year was spent, this year 2016 is loaded with abundance. The Lord will not relent until there is a complete fulfillment of His purpose. Keep fit for divine breakthrough as you go through the journey of year 2016.”

WayBacktoGod

By Pastor Abraham O. Akinosun, 0803 345 6369, 0807 173 3072

Let us hope in the Lord Text: Psalm 147:10-11; “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; ‘the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

New Year message: Our society today is overtaken by fear of insecurity. People no longer feel safe in the company of people they don’t know even among those they know they are suspicious of them It is as if the paranoia of fear has seized every soul in the land. But this is not without reason. A society where strange things of negative connotation are happening is bound to be in fear. It is not strange again to hear of parents using their children for money ritual; friends betray and despoil their friends. Relations have been known to organize kidnapping of their relations for ransom.

Human sacrifice is creeping back into our society after over150 years of Christianity in our nation. The values we once held sacred are collapsing and we are gradually returning to philosopher Thomas Hobbes state of nature where life is nasty, brutish and short.

It sounds hopeless, isn’t it? Especially when look at the government side for succor. Government Official and Political Leaders are doing their best, though their best have not satisfied majority of the people. There are stil1 cries of unemployment,

the economy is in the doldrums, industrial capacity is on the decline, graduates roam the streets for the elusive jobs and more and more people are losing hope in the government because the campaign promises by the politicians have not been taken to the realm of fulfillment.

This is the background to this New Year message ‘Let us hope in the Lord.

The good news is: There is Hope. Thing will still take proper shape with us. But we have a part to play. We must have unshaken faith in God. We are deficient without Him and he’s the only driving force in our midst that can make things work for us.

When we hope in the Lord, fellowship with Him must be of paramount importance for us. We should therefore believe that God is the all satisfying end of all our longings and it’s only when we believe the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that this will be explicitly open to us. He is the center of the Gospel and the exaltation of his glory the driving force of the gospel.

And grace is the will of God to magnify the worth of God by giving us the right to delight in God. This is the way to hope in the Lord. Paul said “For from him and through him and r him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom. 11:36). The love to say that God is the beginning and middle and the end in our affairs is the beginning of our success on breakthrough. (this is nothing but the fear of God and steadfast hope in Him.

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Sunday Tribune

dawnofanewera

firmfaith:rightreason

with Most Revd J.O. Akinfenwa Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese

with Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, fradebadejo@yahoo.com

A year to live true (or) A year to be faithful

2016: On a higher plane

WE need a fresh start Going by the Bible, never has there been a perfect time in human history since our first parents, Adam and Eve “declared their independence from God” and opted for total freedom and self-expression. We can assume that right after the Scriptural moment in which God saw that all he had made was good (Gen. 1:31), man was an accident waiting to happen. Going by the Bible, even God testified to the default when man showed his hand when He said to the man, Adam: “...it was from clay that you were taken, for you are dust and to dust you shall return” (3:19). Since that time humanity has struggled through history, sometimes up, sometimes down.

The whole necessity of starting anew, conversion and reconciliation is based on this understanding that man will always need a fresh start because for all his achievements and successes, he will experience setbacks and make many false steps because he is just that and nothing more, mere man.

Human beings make nations It logically follows that nations, as well, must continue to seek fresh beginnings.

Nations are made of families and families are made up of human individuals. All must necessarily respond to the same social dynamics of successes and failures, and ups and downs. Nigeria as a country simply reflects the plight, disposition and challenges of majority of its inhabitants. Judging from the travails of the previous year 2015, Nigeria and her peoples surely do need a new beginning.

With the anxieties that accompanied the elections, the near take-over of a swathe of the country by terrorism, the threat of secession by the Eastern part of the country, bloody conflicts in different areas, accusations and counter accusations of corruption and graft in the highest of places, no one would doubt that the country needs a fresh start just like her peoples.

Vision 2016 for Nigeria Only fools do things in exactly the same way as before and expect results different thereof. I look forward to 2016 in which we all do things differently, leaving behind much of our vices and tackling our challenges with a common resolve. Aside from the social ills which have been repeatedly stated by practically everybody, namely: corruption, unemployment, bad leadership, collapsed

God intervened in the world because it belongs to Him along with all it contains. The psalms that communicated that message ought to allay our anxieties when we are confronted by the evidence of evil and the power of the devil in our world.

infrastructure, etc., I would like to see an overall change of attitude in Nigerians.

Without an attitudinal change and a new orientation it is impossible to turn any nation around. Nigerians generally must leave behind the cynicism which has become a “demobilizer” of most of our good effort. Most Nigerians, debilitated by past experience at different levels, have lost faith in the government, the academia and even now have doubts about religion.

As a result, most of us receive any effort for change with heavy skepticism. This must change if our “change mantra” must be effective. Nigerians must talk less and act more. We must revive our respect for the sanctity of life from conception till natural death. We must be more positive about, ourselves, our country, about God, religion and the possibility of positive change. It is this groundswell of the “CAN DO” attitude that conquers evil and vices and exalts a nation.

Play your part and I play mine We all need as to become crusaders of virtues. Evil prevails only because good people are dormant. The fate of any society is also a game of numbers.

Religious leaders must be more virtuous, courageous sincere and less ostentatious. Let everyone, group society and association challenge corruption, fraud, deceit, ignorance, and indolence in his own very family, school, workplace church and we will all be well on the way to a better country. We simply cannot leave it all to government agencies alone.

Change will be granted us only if we unite to provoke it by ensuring that the rule of law applies to everyone and to every case Let us restore personal and social discipline. Let our businesses, churches, our artistes, sportsmen and celebrities engage in social responsibility in favor of the needy and we shall surely end 2016 on the path of restoration and prosperity in spite of the general depression in the world.

The Gospel as Vademecum It has been rightly said that the Gospel is a declaration, not a debate, and God gave us the “Ten Commandments” not the “Ten Advises”. The Bible gives full assurance of that compelling dynamism in through the Prophet Isaiah: “As the rain and snow come down from the heavens and do not return till they have watered the earth, making it yield seed for the sower and food for others to eat, so is my word that goes forth out of my mouth: it will not return to me idle, but it shall accomplish my will, the purpose for which it has been sent” (Is. 55:10-11). The Gospel also alerts man to the challenges of today. Pope Francis identifies many of such challenges in his Apostolic Exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium” (the Gospel of Joy), such as the economy of exclusion; the new idolatry of money; a financial system that rules rather than serves; the inequality which spawns violence and some cultural threats affecting the family and faith, women and children, etc. The Pope summarizes the right approach for tackling these challenges with the encouraging words of saint Paul: “Do not be overcome with evil but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12;21).

HAPPY New Year!

Welcome to Year 2016, that year that you have anticipated for so long.

We thank God for His mercies towards us in 2015. No doubt it was a tough year for many reasons, but the mere survival of it is a reason for thanksgiving. Yet, many of us did not merely outlast 2015, we made quite some spiritual and material progress during the year. For these and other reasons, we need to give thanks to the Lord. The Psalmist says: Psalms 92:1-2 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, 0 most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, By the time you are reading this, the festivities would be drawing to a close and working class persons would be getting ready to return to work. Before the hustle and bustle resumes, please spare a moment to reflect upon your walk with God. Contrary to what the evolutionists teach, we believe that every person living is not an accident. Each one of us is a special creation of God. And we also believe that God created each of us for a purpose. How well did you fulfill that purpose in 2015; and how well are you planning to fulfill that purpose in the new year 2016?

While bringing the book of Ecciesiastes to a close, the writer made a profound statement that applies to us all as we

march into this new year. He wrote: Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Our nation has suffered so much setback and contradictions because of much lip service to religious faith. People bear religious names, belong to religious institutions and sometimes occupy high office therein, yet they manifest or exhibit the very opposite of the teachings of their religion. On account of this, a nation of deeply religious people that should overflow with virtue has been grounded by the vicious conduct of her very own citizens. That Nigeria is comatose at this turn of the year should actually not surprise us. The Bible says, Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

However, at both corporate and personal levels, there is a way out of the reproach and backwardness that sin brings. God assures us in His word: 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

livingword

By Bishop David Oyedepo Call 7747546-8; or e-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Engaging the power of sanctification for fulfilment of destiny!

WELCOME to 2016; our year of unlimited breakthroughs and advancement.

Our prophetic theme for this year is From Glory To Glory! What this means is that beginning from this month till the end of the year, everything we are involved in shall experience supernatural progress in the name of Jesus! It also implies that we will not have a better last year, month, week or day in every aspect of our lives.

Therefore, we must be set for the kind of year we have never experience before, beginning from this beautiful month. As we begin this year’s teaching, it is important to know that every redeemed child of God is ordained for a glorious destiny in Christ Jesus. “Destiny” in this context implies God’s settled agenda on earth as it relates to us. The discovery of this divinely settled agenda is what is called a vision. However, it is not enough to discover destiny, we must pursue same in order to experience the glory imbedded therein by God (Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Peter 2:9).

Let’s explore how glorious is our destinies are: From scriptures, we discover that every child of God is ordained a mountaintop global citizen. As it written: And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon

thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 28:13-14; see also Deuteronomy 28:1; Matthew 5:14; Galatians 3:29). That means we are ordained to be blessings to our world, and not a burden.

However, it is important to know that to fulfil our glorious, colourful and enviable destiny in grand style, sanctification among other requirements, must be in place.

“Sanctification” here means living to please God, and it is a spiritual catalyst for fulfilment of destiny. As it is written: Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34).

This helps us to know that it takes sanctification to go up and to stay there.

For instance, Samson went up by sanctification; and came down by desecration (Judges 13: 3-5; 16: 1-30). Also, the Bible says that when Solomon loved the Lord, He went us in destiny. But the moment he began to love many strange women, he began to build shrines and ended up there (1 Kings 11:1-6). Therefore, our destinies are at risk without sanctification.

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Sunday Tribune

Sacked workers: SSANU, NASU in showdown with FUTA authorities

Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education

By Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

M

EMBERS of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) chapter, on Tuesday, carried out their threat to embark on an indefinite suspension, following the dismissal of 45 teachers at the institution’s staff school by the Federal Government.

Members of the union were absent at their various posts on Tuesday, while the leadership of the union went round the institution to make sure that the workers complied with the directive of the union.

The union protested, last Wednesday, complaining over the illegal dismissal of their members and vowing to fight the injustice until the sacked workers are recalled.

Similarly, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), FUTA, rose from a special congress on Tuesday and resolved to join the SSANU in pressing home their demand over the dismissal of the workers.

Speaking with Sunday Tribune after the congress, the chairman of NASU, FUTA chapter, Comrade Bayo Aladerotohun, said his members would commence a three-day warning strike next week Monday.

He explained that the directive was from the national headquarters of the union, saying if the Federal Government failed to reverse its decision on the sacked workers, the union would be forced to go on an indefinite strike.

He said the union would access the impact of the threeday warning strike before taking decision on the next line of action, but threatened that no student or staff of the school would be allowed into the school while the school resumes next Monday.

The SSANU chairman in FUTA, Benedict Chukwuma, said the strike was effective in the institution, noting that other members of the union joined the strike nationwide to press home their demand and to let the Federal Government reverse its decision on the sack of the 200 teachers across the country.

Chukuwuma pleaded with the Federal Government to withdraw the circular and faulted its decision to sack the workers despite instituting a suit challenging the action of the government in a court of law.

Chukuwdi also alleged the authorities of FUTA of spear-heading the battle, saying “it is only FUTA among all the federal institutions that have issued sacked letters to its affected workers.”

According to him, the FUTA management had also gone ahead to advertise the vacancy positions on national dailies, saying “the plan to disengage some SSANU members in 30 federal universities started during former President

Benedict Chukwu, SSANU Chairman, FUTA Goodluck Jonathan›s regime, but failed to achieve its aim before the government expired.

“This same circular was also issued again on October 9, this year, by the Deputy Director of Ministry of Education, Mr E.O Fayemi, directing the government to stop the salaries of the affected staffs, despite the fact that the matter is in court. The present government has decided to shun the court and go ahead with the sacking, this is wrong.

“I don’t know why the government had decided to bounce on the university staff school workers because the Navy, Police and other staff schools are still being paid by the government.”

However, the management of the institution, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, said the institution took the steps to disengage the staff, following the directive from the Federal Government.

Speaking on the development in a statement issued and signed by Adegbenro, entitled: “FUTA Position on the Primary school: setting the records straight,’’ said the directive over the dismissal of the workers came from the Federal Government.

The statement reads: “Following the directive of the Federal Government to the effect that it will no longer be responsible for the funding of staff salaries of primary schools affiliated to its institutions/agencies, the management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA recently took steps to ensure the sustenance of its primary school under the new dispensation.

“This step has largely been misconstrued due to deliberate misinformation and distortion of facts by some individuals with ill motive.

“It is has, therefore, become necessary to set the re-

If the ongoing restructuring of the primary school is not taken, the teachers/staff and pupils will be stranded from January 2016 when government will no longer be responsible for the payment of their salaries

cords straight and put the issues in the right perspective so that the distortion of facts being peddled by certain individuals does not mislead members of the general public.

“After a thorough appraisal of the Federal Government’s circular which precluded personnel/teachers of primary school affiliated to institutions/agencies from being included in the nominal roll as from January 2016, FUTA management sought the approval of the governing council to make the primary school independent of government funding in order to ensure that it is in a position to pay the salaries of teachers and the personnel in its employ whose payment the Federal Government will stop from 31st December, 2015.

“The steps will also include the establishment of a board to run its affairs just like that of the University Secondary School, a mechanism for its self-funding and fashioning ways to ensure that it is in a position to pay its staff who will cease to be on the nominal roll of the Federal Government from December 31st, 2015” The FUTA authorities further said: “In the light of the foregoing, an advertisement was placed calling on interested applicants, including staff of the primary school, who will be disengaged from January 1, 2016, to apply in order for the new board to exercise control over the recruitment of staff and other related matters.

“The affected staff who might be interested are free to apply while those who are not interested in being part of the new dispensation will be allowed to pursue their new interests without let or hindrance.

“If the ongoing restructuring of the primary school is not taken, the teachers/staff and pupils will be stranded from January 2016 when government will no longer be responsible for the payment of their salaries.

“The university, therefore, appeals to the general public to be wary of deliberate distortion of facts by some individuals to cast aspersion on the management, which is only ensuring that the primary school continues to function for the benefits of its pupils, staff and other stakeholders.”

But the SSANU chairman maintained that the Federal Government’s action and decision over the sack was wrong, saying the Federal Government failed to observe the rule of law, noting that despite the suit filed by the union in the court of law challenging the action of the government, the federal government went ahead with the directive to sack the workers.

He also accused the management of FUTA of spearheading the battle, saying « it is only FUTA among all the federal institutions that has issued sacked letters to its affected workers.”

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Sunday Tribune

Civil servants shouldn’t sway to the whims of politicians —Adesola, ex-Oyo SSG at 70

By Wale Akinselure

T

HE event was move than a reunion for retired Permanent Secretaries, diretors-general, directors and others in the Oyo State public service. It was a celebration of integrity, discipline and professionalism as former Head of Service, and secrerary to Oyo State Government, Chief Adebisi Adesola, on December 17, celebrated 70 years of his lifetime.

The roll call at BASHMOL Event Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State which included former Nigerian ambassador to the Philippines, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi; former governor Adebayo Alao Akala; former Military governors of Oyo State, General Oladayo Popoola, Admiral Adetoye Sode, Prince Amen Oyakhire who was represented by a team led by a retired Head of Service in the state, Mrs Bola Obileye, former Heads of Service, incumbent and former political appointees, journalists. It was a pointer to the high standing and lasting legacies of a stand out personality.

Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, who chaired the event, described Adesola as a trustworthy citizen of the country.

Guests stood in awe when Farounbi chanted about the rare determination and courage of the celebrant to stay the course despite challenges.

Farounbi described Adesola as a pilgrim who never wavered but remained a professional at all times.

He remarked that the former Head of Service stood out both at home and at work as he remained a dependable father and loving husband.

It was a tripartite celebration which saw

the celebration of the 60th birthday of his wife, Chief Mrs Ronke Adesola, and the launch of Adebisi Adesola’s autobiography.

The book entitled, “The Days of My Life”, is a 292-page book of 18 connected chapters.

Former Governor Alao Akala, who was the book presenter, lauded Adesola’s untainted professionalism in the line of service.

Alao Akala described the celebrant as a man of integrity and of many parts, who refused to mix politics with professionalism.

In a particular instance, Alao Akala recalled that Adesola was a thoroughbred civil servant who failed to play the political game despite his appointment by him as Executive Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS),

which demanded some politicking.

To Alao Akala, an appointee should read the lips and body language of whoever appointed him into office.

He wondered why the celebrant had been unyielding to calls on him to join politics, noting that the disinterestedness of good people like Adesola meant that politicians of all sorts continued to dictate the runnings of the country.

Reviewing “The Days of My Life”, Dr Adebowale Bayo applauded Adesola’s literary dexterity in the writing of the book, while also noting that the celebrant revolutionalized the civil service.

The book chronicles the author’s background, early education, civil service years, retirement, service intrigues tragic family interjection, general philosophy of life.

The celebrant, in his remarks, urged

today’s civil servants to be strictly professional, and not be swayed by the whims and caprices of politicians.

Adesola said, “Civil servants should be contented, be professional and know that money is not everything. Today’s civil servant should embrace the values of the civil service like anonymity, detachment, objectivity. People will respect you for this.”

Other guests at the occasion include, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, Oyo’s Head of Service, Mr Soji Eniade, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, former Secretaries to the Oyo State Government, Mr Dele Adigun and Chief Layiwola Olakojo, former Commissioner, Dr Kola Balogun, Oloye Lekan Alabi, former President, Central Council of Ibadan igenes (CCII), Chief Adebayo Oyero, and Executive Director, Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Mr Yanju Adegbite, among several others.

From right, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala; Admiral Adetoye Sode; (celebrants), Chief Adebisi Adesola; his wife, Chief (Mrs) Ronke Adesola; Professor Ayo Banjo; Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; General Oladayo Popoola and other guests during the 70th birthday and 60th of Chief and Chief (Mrs) Adebisi Adesola, held in Ibadan, recently.

Photo: Yemi Funso-Oke

opinion Ladoja: The new Osi Olubadan Of Ibadanland

By Omolere Omoetan SENATOR Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja is a man of many parts. He is an astute business entrepreneur, a philanthropist of note and a highly-revered political leader. His political reverence is not derived from the distribution of dole to the people like some who are now craving for attention like a deer panting for water. Adewolu’s aura stems from his integrity and genuine love for the masses.

He is a man whose word is his bond.

The notability and respect Senator Ladoja enjoys is not because he became a politician. If anything, he is one of the few who brought respectability to politics, a field which many consider a dirty affair saturated with men of little or no virtue, at least as far as politics a la Nigeria is concerned. Many who parade themselves as men of honour in the corridors of power are people who would sell their souls to the devil at any price, just for the momentary pleasure of holding political office and not to serve but to commit “thiefry,” apologies to Chika Okpala a.k.a Chief Zebrudaya.

Senator Ladoja has been an active actor in Nigeria’s political landscape for a little over two decades and can be regarded as one who has seen it all. Today, he still stands tall with his integrity intact. His imprints as governor of Oyo State remain the benchmark against which the performances of his successors have been weighed. The civil servants still recall with nostalgia, the regular payment of their salries on the 25th of every month and a week to any festivity. The education sector was in its best form

during his tenure. LAUTECH was ranked one of the best in the country, among other visible landmarks of his government.

Having served the state and its people meritoriously in the field of politics, he continued his community service as a key member of the Olubadan-in-Council. It was thus with joy that his elevation to the position of Osi Olubadan, from the Ashipa Olubadan that he held previously, was greeted. In fact, the elevation confirmed William Shakespeare’s eternal truth that not all the water in the rough rude sea can wash the balm off from an anointed Osi Olubadan; the breath of worldly men cannot depose a man whose path is charted by the Almighty.

The present political situation notwithstanding, the new Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland is, and always will be, a force to contend with, not only in the political firmament of Oyo state, but also in the country. The people’s general is very much in control of his troops and political space because, as the saying goes, you can’t keep a good man down.

In a developing democratic culture such as ours, the failings of many in the political class have led to catastrophic emergence of accidental leaders who are ill-prepared for the opportunities and benevolence that democracy bestowed on them to serve and imprint their names in the sands of time. Once in power, they see themselves as emperors who oppress the people using the collective wealth as the baton of repression.

Nigeria is where it is today as a result of the failure of a good number of the political class, a development that has brought the nation to a regrettable situation. Glob-

ally, the plethora of problems besetting the world today is as a result of these failings in a democratic arrangement that supports the rule of the majority. Thankfully however, it is not all lamentation. Democracy has afforded us opportunities to experience what a “people-first” leadership style is about through exemplary and extraordinary leaders like High Chief Ladoja, the new Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Some of Senator Ladoja’s associates used to wonder why he ever went into politics. They later discovered that Adewolu hates to see people in abject poverty. Politics to him means service to the people because it creates a window for him to better the lives of millions of people more than the many who benefit from his regular philanthropic gestures. For him, politics is not a chance to feather personal nest and consequently amass obscene wealth from the patrimony. He had long been self-made and selfsufficient before venturing into politics. Unlike many in then NADECO struggle who trumpet their contributions to gain the current political height they are, Ladoja remains an unsung hero of that epoch. He pumped tons of money into the struggle and that cost him his senatorial ticket under the defunct UNCP during the period of the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha.

High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, we salute your steadfastness, courage and selfless commitment to the service of your people. Congratulations on your promotion as the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland. May your time bring peace, progress and development to Ibadanland as usual.

• Omolere Omoetan writes from Ibadan.

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Olaide Sokoya ollydesanmi@yahoo.com 0807 449 7425

children’sarena Words from the kids

Our regrets in 2015 All students are from Soaring Eagle Christian Assembly and Ministries, Ibadan.

My parents disappointed me by not buying me a laptop —Blessing Musa, 14yrs, SS2 The year was fun and wonderful for me and my family. But I was very disappointed when I asked my parents to buy novels for me to read at my leisure time during the long holidays but they refused; I also asked for a portable laptop which they also refused to buy for me. I pray they have a change of heart this year, because I feel I really need them to improve myself.

Killing of innocent people in 2015 saddens my heart —Pearl Udom 10 yrs, JSS 2 The killing of innocent people in 2015 really sadden my heart. Also, the inadequate power supply added to my pain. Lack of money in the country also made me to have few clothes and shoes. I wanted to buy so many comic novels in 2015 which I was unable to buy.

I wish this year will be a better one.

Changing of school made me to lose all my contacts —Victor Osaigbe SS1, 13yrs I was not happy when my parents changed my school.

The school was not as good as my former school. This development made me to lose all my friends’ contact.

My new school has a different teaching method from what I was used to. In my former school, the teachings were understandable and there was also room for questions, but it is not so in my new school, Also, I asked for a phone, but my parents said I should face my studies so lose I can perform excellently.

I wanted to be in art class but I was forced to be in science class —Divine Stanislaus, 13 yrs, SS1 I was very happy when I was enrolled at the same school as my sister’s. I thought my prayers were finally answered but reality dawn on me when I soon discovered that my new school was always involved in fights with other schools. To make the matter worse, my classroom was very close to the bush so we were always the first to be attacked. Also, when I got to senior secondary, I wanted to be in art class but my parents refused and asked to go to science class; now I am in science class but I want to be art student.

Compiled by Temitayo Iliasu

Fun facts about January The first month of the year is an outstanding one.

In the Georgian calendar, the calendar that most of the world uses, January is the very first month of the year. The name January came from a Roman god Janus. According to the Roman legend, in 700 B.C., the ruler Numa Pompilius added January to the end of the 10-month Roman calendar. When it was added, Pompilius gave 30 days to January. However, Romans later made January the first month of the year. Moreover, in 46 B.C. Julius Caesar added one more day to January and that’s why there are 31 days in January today.

However, in southern half of the world, January is the warmest month. During this time, unlike the northern half of the world, animals are active and plants are growing.

Below are some fun facts about January: •The flower symbol of January is snowdrop &

carnation.

•January’s gem is garnet which represents constancy.

• The Common Sense by Thomas Paine was published on January 10, 1776.

•On January 10, 1920 the League of Nations was established.

•National Blood Donor Month •National Braille Literacy Month •National Hobby Month • National Soup Month • National Staying Healthy Month • On January 8, 1798, Amendment 11 to Constitution was proclaimed which modified the Supreme Court’s power.

Tongue Twister A tree toad loved a she-toad Who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree toad But a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree toad tried to win The three-toed she-toad’s heart, For the two-toed tree toad loved the ground That the three-toed tree toad trod.

But the two-toed tree toad tried in vain.

He couldn’t please her whim.

From her tree toad bower With her three-toed power The she-toad vetoed him.

“Whether the weather is warm, whether the weather is hot, we have to put up with the weather, whether we like it or not.”

Quote

"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something."

—Neii Gaiman

Poem

A year to be glad in and not to be sad in, To gain in, to gain in A happy new year.

A year for trying And never for sighing A new year to live in, Oh, hold it most dear

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Election: Gusau residents decry low turn out of voters

The celebrant, Madam Funke Olufayo, nee Kayode-Adedeji (middle); her husband, (left) and a relative cutting her 70th birthday cake at Ile-Ife.

758 stranded foreigners evacuated from Calabar seaport Chris Agbambu - Abuja

T

HE 758 foreigners who were stranded when the vessel conveying them from Gabon to Benin Republic broke down has been evacuated by road to their various countries According to a release made available to Sunday Tribune and signed by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Cross River State Emergency Agency (SEMA), David Akate, the nationals from Togo, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Guinea were forced to terminate their sea journey in Calabar when a passenger vessel – EmilianaCarneiro made an emergency berthing at the port when one of the engines malfunctioned and a leakages was observed on the floor of the ship.

Over 10 buses conveying the passengers were escorted by Immigration, police and other security agents.

While in the port facili-

ties, the state government, through its humanitarian outfit, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) provided the passengers with food, water, blankets, toiletries and health needs for the sick and pregnant women.

The Director General of the agency, Mr. John Inaku who spent time to interact with the people wished them a safe transit through the state and the country to their various destinations.

Mr. Inaku commended the state governor, Prof.

Ben Ayade for the prompt

response to the passengers’ plights by providing them with the essentials for their comfort while in the state.

He emphasised that the actions of the governor was a testimony to his magnanimity and sensitivity to the needs of people without an iota of ethnic, racial or colour bias.

The special adviser to the governor on Special Duties, Mr. Victor Odo in his comment said that he was pleased with the dexterity of the management and staff of SEMA in the administration of the essentials to the stranded passengers.

Mimiko tasks Nigerian Legion on security, assures their widows ONDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has urged members of the Nigerian Legion to assist government in the provision of security, which they were trained for.

Addressing members of the Legion at the weekend in Akure, during the launch of Emblem Appeal to kickstart the 2016 Armed Forces

and Remembrance Day Celebration in the State, Mimiko assured that his administration would deepen its micro loan scheme for widows of the fallen heroes.

He noted that he had given directive to the State Micro Credit Agency to continually accommodate the widows in their programme.

2016: Faseyi wants Nigerians to remain optimistic Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti THE Chairman Senate Committe on Air Force, Senator Duro Faseyi has called on Nigerians to always be positive and optimistic about the country, despite numerous challenges confronting the nation.

In a goodwill message to Nigerians on the new year celebration, Senator Faseyi described the event as worthwhile.

“In all situations, we must learn how to give thanks to our Creator for sparing our lives since January to the end of the year 2015, despite all

Reacting, Mohammed Buhari (36) from Niger Republic said that the gesture of the Cross River State government was overwhelming and that the negative pictures painted about Nigeria abroad lacked merit and truth.

He described Nigerians as friendly, accommodating and sensitive to the wellbeing of human beings.

Abdulsalam Isa (69)said that he was surprised that the state and the country of Nigeria could be so hospitable contrary to the wrong notion he had hitherto held.

the predictions and assumptions at the end of year 2014 concerning the unity of Nigeria. God prevailled and sustained our unity in diversity.

“The election year had always been pressumed world over as an unpredictable one because of electioneering activities by politicians and the case of Nigeria was even quite different because of the way our leaders played politics with nearly everything.

It was generally believed that, the general elections would be turbulent and bloody but God came in and right all the wrongs beyond

human imaginations, hence peaceful transition of government.

What is important now is for all Nigerians irrespective of religious, political and cultural backgrounds to be positive in thinking and always prophesy goodies in our lives and with that, no problem would be insurmountable,” he said.

The senator however called on Nigerian leaders to make selfless service their watchword, adding that what Nigeria needed most was sacrifice by all in order to promote the unity and progress of the nation.

He, however, pleaded with the Legion executive to sensitise the loans’ beneficiaries so that they can pay back on time for others to benefit.

The governor, who appreciated the sacrifices made for the peace and development of Nigeria by the fallen heroes and the serving officers and men of the armed forces, promised to continue to work with the legion in order to further promote their welfare and called on NGOs to also support them.

He also reiterated his administration’s determination to priotise the welfare of the families of the heroes who had been subjected to hardship due to the demise of their bread winners.

In their separate speeches, the State commissioner for women affairs, Mrs Olasinmi Akindele-Odunmbaku and the chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Major Ola Vincent (rtd), lauded the state government for its support for the Legion, especially in the provision of soft loans to alleviate the sufferings of the families of the fallen heroes.

RESIDENTS of Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara, have decried low turnout of voters during the conduct of the local government election in the area.

A cross section of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Gusau that they were not aware of the election.

Mr Tony Adah, an engineer, told NAN that although he saw campaign posters, he was not sure of the date of the election.

“I woke up this morning to prepare for work when my neighbour told me about the election.

“Initially I thought that movement will be restricted, but to my surprise, people are moving around with their vehicles doing their usual business.’’ he said.

Hajia Marian Ibrahim, a business woman, also said she was not aware of the election as people were busy with their normal business activities.

“I just got to my shop where I do my business and I discovered that people are not participating in the election.

“It is possible the date of the election was not properly announced unlike the previous ones.

“The election is just for the sake of formality; everybody knows that the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) will win so there is no need to stress people,’’ she said.

Ogun charges MPDSR to tackle maternal/perinatal death OGUN State Government has charged the State Steering Committee on review of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) to sustain the high standard record it set as the first State in the country to set up a committee to tackle maternal and perinatal death in the country.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye who was represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Nofiu Aigoro gave the charge while delivering a key note address at the Annual Review Meeting on Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response System organised by the State Primary Health Care Development Board in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Dr Ipaye also urged the committee not to focus only on mortality reviews but to also do a comprehensive surveillance on unwarranted death of mothers and children during delivery.

In his remark, the chairman of the committee, Dr. Moses Alao assured the state government and the people of the state that the committee would continue to do review of maternal and perinatal death, learn from its causes and intensify efforts on surveillance in order to avert future occurrence in line with its slogan ‘no name, no blame’.

Ondo 2016: Stop campaign of calumny, Kuku Support Group charges politicians Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure TOWARDS the 2016 governorship in Ondo State, the leadership of Kuku Support Group, has condemned an orchestrated campaign of calumny targeted against the person of the former Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Hon. Kingsley Kuku.

This was contained in a statement issued by the group and signed by its coordinator, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi who charged politicians and their supporters in the state not to embark on campaign of calumny and character assassination which was becoming the trend in the political scene in the state.

Alabi disclosed the group had uncovered moves by some paid propagandists who had embarked on campaign of calumny orchestrated at tarnishing the image of its principal who was vying for the number one seat in the forthcoming governorship election.

The former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, explained that Kuku was on medical trip to United States of America and was not on the run to escape arrest as speculated by paid propagandists.

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2016: Cleric admonishes Christians on safety in God Nigerians have been enjoined to entrust their safety in God as the journey of the new year begins. In her new year sermon at Prelate Ola Makinde Methodist Church Nigeria, Idi-0san, Ibadan, the cleric, Reverend (Mrs) Olaide Opadotun, disclosed that the security guaranteed

by God was foolproof and better than that provided by man.

Quoting copiously from Isiah 49: 2, Reverend Opadotun cited great and successful men in the Bible who entrusted their security in God. Such men, according to the Methodist minister, included Moses, Daniel, Joseph and Jesus Christ, among others.

Reverend (Mrs) Opadotun added that the new year would be prosperous for Nigerians if they could obey the words of God by distancing themselves from sin.

Group condemns Dickson’s appointees over betrayal of trust Austin Ebipade-Yenagoa Former Miss Elizabeth Salami and her husband, Mr Emmanuel Peter Igbadume, during their wedding ceremony at Agbaje Street, Ijokodo, Ibadan, recently.

Supreme Court ’ll restore my mandate —Abia gov •As APGA supporters jubilate in Abia Celestine IhejirikaU muahia

A

bia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, whose election was, on Saturday, invalidated by the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, has rekindled hope that his mandate would be restored by the Supreme court.

Ikpeazu, who spoke with newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia, after news about the appeal court judgment filtered in, expressed annoyance on the premise upon which the court arrived at its verdict.

He also frowned on the

timing of the judgment, saying it was designed to rob him of the needed time to study the judgment and file an appeal, but said the “anomaly of the appeal court will be corrected by the Supreme Court.”

“According to him, he had not received full briefing on the reason for the decision of the Court of Appeal, ‘‘but my lawyers are still at the court of appeal in Owerri waiting to obtain a copy of the judgment for further studying, and it is already 7:00 p.m. The next four days are public holidays and the timing of the judgment means that we are losing valuable time to study the judgment and file

an appeal.’’

“I wish to state at this point that preliminary report available to me indicates that the premise upon which the decision of the court of appeal was arrived at is at best against us. That being said, I wish to express my utmost confidence in the ability of the justices of the supreme court to correct the anomaly at the court of appeal and uphold my victory as earlier done by the tribunal in Umuahia, ” he added.

Ikpeazu said he had instructed his lawyers to file an appeal at the supreme court while appealing to his supporters to remain

PDP will continue to win all elections in Rivers —Wike Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that if elections are conducted 10 times in the state, candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will still emerge victorious because of the commitment of the party to the wellbeing of the people.

He further declared that the people were waiting for the total deployment of card readers, saying the defeated All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State would not win any unit because the APC and her sponsors had since betrayed the people.

Addressing a cross section of Rivers people at the state’s New Year Banquet at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday night, Governor Wike said: “If elections are conducted 10 times in Rivers State, PDP will win.

“We are waiting for the card reader, but let me see which unit they (APC) will win.”

Governor Wike charged the people of the state to always respect the judiciary, irrespective of judgments, noting that the stability of the country depended on the judiciary.

According to him, his administration had respected the full separation of powers, which had led to the independence of the judiciary and the legisla-

tive arms of government.

He expressed happiness that he lived up to his promises to revive the judiciary after the immediate past governor, Rotimi Amaechi, closed the courts for two years, pointing out that Amaechi was the first person to take advantage of the revived judiciary by rushing to court over the Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

calm.

“In the interim, I have instructed my lawyers to file an immediate appeal at the supreme court, I wish to assure all Abians that all is well. I remain the governor of Abia and I believe the supreme court will still reaffirm my mandate which was freely given to me by the good people of Abia State during the election,’’ he said.

He called on security agencies to maintain peace and ensure that people went about their respective businesses without any form of disruption.

Meanwhile, there were jubilations in parts of the state immediately the news of the judgment filtered in, as APGA supporters trooped out in their hundreds to celebrate Otti’s victory.

A group of young men brandishing APGA’s flag and Otti’s portraits were sighted dancing around the roundabout at the entrance to Government House and chanting victory songs.

There were also sporadic shootings of fireworks in Umuahia apparently by Otti’s supporters.

Oyo Reps member appoints 43 legislative assistants The House of Representatives member representing Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Honourable Olatoye Temitope (a.k.a Sugar), at the weekend, distributed appointment letters to 43 members of the constituency he recently appointed as legislative assistants.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) federal lawmaker personally presented the appointment letters

to the new appointees during an end of the year party he organised for members of his constituency, at the party secretariat, Ejioku, Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The appointees, including 33 legislative assistants and 10 senior legislative assistants, expressed their appreciation to the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity.

Over 2,000 APC leaders and members from both

Lagelu and Akinyele Local Government Areas of the state attended the end of the year party, where gift items worth millions of naira were also distributed by the lawmaker.

Speaking on the occasion, Olatoye maintained that as a grassroots politician, he decided to have as many as 43 legislative assistants because of his desire to always be in touch with members of his constituency.

Over what it described as abuse of office and betrayal of trust, a group, under the aegis of Dickson Support Movement (DSM), has condemned the cross carpeting attitude of some appointees of the Governor Seriake Dickson’s Restoration Government.

The group, led by Comrade Tarilayefa Binaebi, vehemently condemned the unstable attitude of the following appointees that cross carpeted during the election, Chief Remember Ogbe, Mr Lucky Yeboah, Mr Furoebi Akene and the chairman of the State Action Committee on AIDS (SACA), Mr Temple Iluma, among others.

It regretted that the roles of some of the appointees were geared towards ensuring that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed, saying ‘‘but Bayelsans stood their ground and voted for the PDP and the countryman, Governor Seriake Dickson.’’

The group cited the case of Dr Iluma (SACA boss), who publicly dumped the PDP few days to the December 5 election, in a radio programme and a press statement where he lambasted the governor for not funding the World AIDS Day celebration, as well as other activities geared towards mitigation and care for those infected with the virus. ‘‘The radio statement also states that it was for that singular reason that he (Iluma) crossed to the fold of the APC to work for victory of its standard bearer, Chief Timipre Sylva,’’ the group added.

Abia North: Senator expresses shock over Appeal Court judgment Celestine Ihejirika-Umuahia The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator representing Abia North, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, has described the recent nullification of his election by the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri as a shock, saying he could not reconcile the judgement with the overwhelming votes given to him by the people of Abia North.

The senator made this known while addressing journalists in Umuahia, on the recent outcome of the Appeal Court judgement which ordered a re-run election within 90 days.

According to Mao, ‘‘Abia North overwhelmingly voted for me. It was a huge shock for me when I received the decision of the Court of Appeal because I could not reconcile the judgement with the mandate the people gave me. My election had no issues, and out of the five local governments, I won in four local governments.’’

The former lawmaker said: ‘‘Orji Uzor Kalu who challenged the outcome of the tribunal judgment did agree at the tribunal that elections were peaceful in Bendel, Isikwuato local governments areas, but was contesting election results from Umunochi, Ohafia, Arochukwu governments areas of Abia North, the Appeal court nullified the whole election without consideration to the two local governments adjudged by the challenger to be peaceful and void of irregularities. The court gave Orji Uzor Kalu what he did not even ask for. In Appeal court, there are no new witnesses, you are only appealing against a judgment. The judgment baffles me. Having taken the judgement the way it is, I have appealed to God against the judgement.

Mao, who had been in the Senate for few months, said he had sponsored bills, motions that would impact positively on the lives of the people. He called on Abia people to judge him by his performance in office.

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NSC boss celebrates New Year with IDPs in Adamawa

From left, bride’s father, Professor Ayoade Oduola; bride’s mother, Mrs Mojisola Tinuola Oduola; the newly wedded couple, Dr Peter Umana and his wife, former Dr Oladayo Oduola; groom’s father, Dr Edet Mbot Umana and the groom’s mother, Mrs Rosemary Umana, held at Emeritus Professor Oladipo Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, opposite UCH, Ibadan, on Saturday. PHOTO: D’TOYIN

THE Acting Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), Mrs Dabney Shalhoma, has celebrated the 2016 new year with some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in Adamawa.

Shalhoma, who is an indigene of the state, during her visit to Gombi, one of the host communities for IDPs, said the gesture was aimed at identifying with the IDPs. According to her, “I am here to identify with you people for your plight occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, and as a woman, I share the pains of every internally displaced family.”

The acting executive secretary said she was also a victim of the insurgency, pointing out that her home was completely razed down by the insurgents.

Shalhoma said she would continue to visit the displaced community to keep encouraging them.

“Its regrettable and sad that human beings are experiencing this kind of situation caused by other human beings.

“It’s unfortunate that the most defenseless people are victims of this dastardly act.

“Our people are known for hospitality and peace, and we will not be deterred by this sad experience to change from loving one another,” she said.

Amosun’s daughter donates medical items to hospital

By Doyin Adeoye

Dr Abiodun Sorunke of Family Health Centre, Oke-Ilewo; flanked by (from left), daughters of Ogun State governor, Akorede; Anjola and a staff of the centre, during Akorede Amosun’s donation of medical items to the Family Health Centre in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, on Saturday.

Oyeyemi assures staff of sustained welfare policies in 2016

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S the year 2015 ends in the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) operational calendar, the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, has commended the staff for their high level performances in the outgoing year, saying management remains committed to enunciating policies that could adequately address their welfare needs.

In a press release made available by Bisi Kazeem, Head of Media Relations, FRSC, Oyeyemi in his New Year message to all staff of the FRSC, expressed gratitude to God for the successes recorded in 2015 and

expressed commitment to improving on the achievements in the coming year.

He particularly prayed for the successful crossover of all staff, enjoining them to be prepared to live faithfully in carrying out their statutory responsibilities of keeping the roads safe.

Although, he admitted that the challenges of 2015 were multifaceted and involved staff risking their lives to save road cash victims travelling several kilometres, ensure that road users were enlightened, as well as rescue crash victims even at odd hours of the day, the Corps Marshal expressed gratitude to God that the

organisation survived the odds. According to him, several lives that could have perished in road crashes were saved through the vigilance and commitment of members of the Corps saying, such individuals would forever remain grateful to the FRSC for the steadfastness and dedication the personnel had shown in the discharge of their duties.

The Corps Marshal expressed pride in the spirit of selfless service exhibited by members of the Corps in 2015 and enjoined them to remain steadfast in pursuing the common goals in the new year. While appreciating the individuals for

Nothing can stop LG elections in Zamfara —APC scribe THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara has said the refusal of the major opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to participate in Saturday’s local governments’ elections will not stop the elections.

The party’s secretary in the state, Alhaji Sani Mono, made this observation to

newsmen on Saturday at his Talata-Mafara residence.

He said, although there was low turnout of voters, the electorate demonstrated the confidence they had in the present APC state leadership.

He also said the party was satisfied with the arrangements made by the

Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission, noting that all political parties that felt they could field their candidates participated in the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the council polls took place in the 14 local government areas of the state.

their contributions to the success story of the FRSC in outgoing year, Oyeyemi admonished staff not to rest on their oars, saying 2016 would come with its own peculiar challenges which they must be prepared to overcome in their determination to create a safer road environment that would be conducive for social and economic activities.

“To be victorious, you must continue to adhere to the processes and procedures of the Corps in all areas of operations and general administration,” he stated.

On the need for staff to increase their productivity and efficiency in service delivery in the coming year, the Corps Marshal stated that it was only through sustained commitment to the core values of the FRSC that the attainment of the Quality Management System Certification (ISO 9001:2008) by the Corps in March 2016 could be justified. He, therefore, appealed to the staff to continue to promote hard work and dedication to duty in line with the world class organisation status of the corps.

ONE of the daughters of Ogun State governor, Miss Akorede Amosun, has donated some medical items to the Family Health Centre, Oke-Ilewo in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the state.

The medical items, which are medical humanitarian gifts from ‘Not Just Tourists,’ a non-governmental organisation based in Toronto, were meant to boost health care delivery in Ogun State and help those in most desperate need.

Presenting the medical supplies, which included bandages, gauze, tapes, antiseptics, alcohol swabs, saline flushes, IV kits in sterile packaging, wound-care kits, examination gloves, scalpels, disposable needles, syringes, urinary supplies, masks or respiratory supplies, amongst other, Akorede noted that the donation was made in recognition of her voluntary service with ‘Not Just Tourists’ for her hospitality and friendship with the people.

She explained that “Not Just Tourists,’ is a volunteerbased organisation that collects surplus medical supplies from healthcare professional and institutions and send them through travellers to small medical mission in need around the world.”

Edo PDP guber aspirant pays medical bills of indigent patients Banji Aluko - Benin City A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Edo State, Mr Matthew Iduoriyikemwen, has paid the medical bills of no fewer than 16 indigent patients, who were unable to offset their medical bills, at the Benin Central Hospital.

Iduoriyikemwen called on well-meaning Nigerians to partner with the government in order to bring succour to indigent Nigerians, especially in the spirit of the New Year celebration.

Asked why he paid the medical bills of the patients, he said it was a way of reaching out to those who had been neglected by the society, adding that, “we cannot just sit and drink in the comfort of our homes when there are those who, for less than N5,000. are unable to be at their homes because they were not able to pay their medical bills.

One of the patients, who benefitted from Iduoriyikemwen’s gesture, Mrs Uwaila Onaiwu, was full of joy upon the realisation that she would be heading home.

Mrs Onaiwu, who could not offset her medical bill at the hospital after putting to bed through a Cesarean section, immediately named her new-born baby Favour and thanked the donor for his magnanimity.

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SUNDAY

Sunday Tribune

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Ighalo wins EPL award N

IGERIA international and Watford striker, Odion Ighalo has been unanimously adjudged the Premier League’s African Player award for the month of December (2015).

In a release by the award organisers, New African Soccer, Ighalo was so overwhelming in his performance and reviews that there was “very little need for a shortlist to be announced”.

The Award director, Tunde Adelakun said in the statement, “Ighalo spent December scoring goals for his team. He scored in all six games played in a packed December schedule of fixtures, including games against Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. This is a very remarkable feat.”

Adelakun confirmed that in the short lifespan of the New African Soccer awards, Ighalo became the first player who has won the monthly award twice in a season.

It will be recalled that the Edo State-born striker who scored 14 EPL goals in the ongoing season to finish 2015 with 34 goals, a feat not equalled by any player in England, also won the October edition of the Premier League’s African Player award.

Efugh expresses confidence Ighalo, fires blank in Watford’s 1-2 loss to Manchester City on Saturday at Vicarage Road.

CHAN 2016: Eagles will deliver —Yusuf SUPER Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf has expressed confidence in the quality of players in his fold to deliver the goods at the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kigali, Rwanda.

The team left for Pretoria, South Africa on Saturday for the final phase of preparation for the biennial football championship.

The CHAN Eagles will engage their counterparts from Angola and Ivory Coast in a test match prior to the group game opener against Niger Republic on January 18.

Yusuf said the players’ responses to training instructions in camp have been flawless and inspiring as he hopes that the side would win the championship.

“Of course, we are confident heading off to South Africa enroute to Rwanda for the African Nations Championship.

“South Africa will actually serve as our last bus stop in term of preparation for the championship where we have confirmed two build-up match-

es against Angola and Ivory Coast.

“The players attitude and responses to instruction in camp have been quite impressive and actually inspired confidence in the coaches.

“We can say confidently that we will make Nigerians proud in Rwanda, we won’t disappoint them by the time the curtain falls on the championship,” the former Enyimba coach told su-

persport.com.

“Of course, you cannot doubt Salami’s quality or his impact if he was to be with us but somebody must do the job,” said Yusuf.

The CHAN in Rwanda will run from January 16 through February 7.

The Eagles will also face tests from other group opponents, Tunisia and Guinea on January 22 and 26 respectively.

CAPTAIN of Heartland FC, a Glo Premier League side, Chinedu Efugh has expressed optimism about the ability of the Super Eagles squad to excel in the 2016 CHAN without the season’s goal king, Gbolahan Salami.

He told supersport.com that Salami is a fantastic player but believes the squad has what it takes to shine in Rwanda without the Warri Wolves player who scored 17 goals last season.

Efugh believes Chisom Chikatara and Tunde Adeniji will lift the Nigerian team in the biennial tournament.

“Well I don’t think (Salami’s absence) will affect the team. No doubt he is a fantastic player but the team is experienced enough.

“In football, the absence of a player or players can always provide the opportunity for others to thrive. As I said, Salami is a fantastic player but his absence will give others the chance and I think Chisom and Tunde are capable of doing very well too,” said the former Rangers player.

The fair skinned defender is confident the Nigerian squad is good enough to win the 2016 CHAN adding “Yes I see them winning the trophy because they have experienced players in the team.”

Usman shelves Norway trial

Usman (right)

FC Taraba skipper, Usman Mohammed would feature in the 2016 CHAN in Rwanda after he defied the decision of his agent to shun the tournament for a deal at Norwegian club Lillestrom.

The Super Eagles on Saturday left Lagos for South Africa with Usman as one of the players on the trip.

“Usman is on the flight to South Africa, he did not stay back as we agreed probably because of pressure from some of the officials in the team,” his Amsterdam-based representative disclosed.

“His visa to Norway is to come

through on Monday, but as we speak I really don’t know what to believe or even think now because the plan was not for the player to be at CHAN but be in Norway by January 15.”

Meanwhile, the FC Taraba player said: “I have put forward my transfer to Norway.

“At the moment I want to concentrate on playing in CHAN, after that, I can then think of moving over to Europe. I hope to do well with the team in Rwanda and hopefully we will come back home with the trophy.”

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Sunday Tribune

Fabio Lanipekun 08050498512 lanipekunfabio@yahoo.com

Apocalypse of world sports?

T

he world governing bodies of football (FIFA) and athletics (IAAF) are in deep shit and battling for their life, and if they do survive, may be segmented and fragmented like we have in professional boxing – WBO, WBC, WBA, e.t.c are all governing organisations parading different world champions, but occasionally vying for unification titles.

Mark my words, FIFA may go down, IAAF may sink but their places amorphous bodies will spring up to set up another round of global power play and domination. Nigeria may be at an advantageous position as a third world leader to have a say, but are we ready for the task?

How did we fare in sports in 2015? If the Sports Ministry/National Sports Commission score our performance as good/fair, Nigerians should shout FOUL because our rating was just average. Some Nigerians might still be glamorising the U-17 World Cup, what is there to celebrate winning the same championships five times and not moving forward? And there are some Nigerians who are prepared to swear that winning the trophies was not transparent.

Prior to winning the U-17 World Cup, all the three Nigerian clubs that contested for African continental club championships had been flushed out.

Thankfully, football at the national level progressed uninterrupted but the drama provided by FC Taraba players to press home their legitimate demand for eleven month unpaid salaries, was the stuff Hollywood thriller can be produced. They defied inclement weather, slept outside the Government House until their employers generously dished out two months payment. Yet it is from the same country

Rasheed ‘Afonja Warrior’ Abolaji, one of the winners of the December 2015 GOtv Boxing Night in Lagos.

Tyson Fury, the man who dethroned Wladimir Klitschko that the Federation Cup winners, Akwa United players became millionaires for winning the Challenge Cup, now (Federation) Cup for the first time since 1945.

Nigeria’s U-23 Dream Team justified their high rating by qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympics and this will be the parameter to judge Nigeria’s upward movement in football. Anything short of winning in Rio will be unacceptable, just as qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia should be a legitimate target for the Super Eagles. But just as 2015 was ambling out, Sports Minister, Barrister Solo-

mon Dalung dropped a dampener with his revelation that some people are planning ANARCHY to take over the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Just as everyone thought that the NFF had put all their disagreements behind them but they, like FIFA have been walking on a tight rope, with none enjoying peace, this is the situation Nigerians are carrying into the New Year.

However, we should not forget to congratulate our own Odion Ighalo who has been scoring prolifically in the English Premiership.

Now let us skip to boxing which seemed to be dead for more than a decade, no thanks to the lethal link of the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers (Vitali and Wladimir) to the heavyweight division. Until on November 28, 2015 when British Tyson Fury snatched the majority titles (IBF, WBA and WBO) from Wladimir, professional boxing at heavyweight level was as dead as dodo and I took a personal decision not to watch Wladimir because his style of boxing was too dull for me.

Truly Wladimir has a Ph.D degree, the same as his elder brother, Vitali, and lot of grey matter upstairs, which he used to bamboozle his opponents, but in terms of sheer delight and excitement, Klitschko was excruciatingly dull as a boxer. Now with him almost out of the way, the old excitement will return, especially with some American heavies, who have been in awe; of the bully Ukrainian, and some up and coming British boxers like Anthony Joshua of Nigerian origin.

Floyd Mayweather of the United States, has a lot of credit to take for reviving boxing. After hitting the 40 (0) mark and the scintillating encounters with the Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao and eyeing the seductive record set by unbeaten heavyweight champion, Rocky Marciano, Mayweather entered the boxing life of boxing fans the world over, and never ceased to be out, until he emulated and levelled Marciano’s record late last year. I take a singular pride in backing Mayweather and

until he announced his retirement, I keep insisting that he should gun for a new world record by going for his 50th.

He has equalled Rocky Marciano’s and the very essence of sports is to break and set new record. This is what Floyd Mayweather owe boxing. He is still in his prime, he can do it, notwithstanding all the dollars that he is sleeping on.

Back home in Nigeria, only blind people will fail to realise and appreciate the ongoing revival, sorry, revolution in the national professional boxing. When boxers receive prize money of more than a million naira, that is no revival, because it has never happened in Nigeria since 1949 when we used to watch boxing in Lagos.

Even up till 1995 when I retired, no boxer received up to N100,000. The GOtv Boxing Night provided the bonanza and the prize money was much more than Hogan Bassey and Dick Tiger ever earned in Nigeria before travelling abroad in the 1950s. Congrats to Flykite Productions and other involved. But do you know that Nigeria sports is in jail? Find out next week.

Ighalo

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Namso Edo keeps Akwa Utd waiting

Sunshine won’t accept local bids on Adeniji, 5 others —ODSFA THE management of Sunshine Stars, a Glo Premier League side has declared that it is not willing to do business with rival clubs in the off-season for six key players led

by Tunde Adeniji, who emerged the team’s highest goalscorer last season with 16 goals.

The other players barred

by Sunshine Stars from moving to other fellow topflight sides are Dayo Ojo, Seun Olulayo, Stephen Eze, Paul Onobi and goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

However, the Akure Gunners will welcome acceptable offers from foreign clubs on any of the listed players according to the management.

“We want to state it clear that we are not ready to lose any of our top players. We are desperate to keep them and make the team better than before, as we are working hard to maintain and improve the welfare packages. We appreciate the players’ commitment and hope for a great season,” said the club president, Akin Akinbobola, who doubles as the chairman of the Ondo State Football Agency (ODSFA).

“We won’t sell to NPFL rivals but if a good offers from abroad come, we shall look at them and evaluate them,” he added.

Adeniji

Sunday Tribune

Elderson faces long injury layoff

Elderson

N

I G E R I A i n t e r n a tional and AS Monaco defender, Elderson Echiejile will be sidelined by a hamstring injury for “a couple of weeks”.

The former Bendel Insurance FC defend er disclosed that he suffered t he inju r y while t r aining with his French Ligue 1 side and has been told he will be out for some weeks.

“I picked up a ham-

string in training on Tuesday and I will be out for a couple of weeks,” Elderson said his official website www.elderson3. com This season, the 2013 Af r ica Cu p of Nations

(AFCON) winner has made 12 appearances in Ligue 1 for Monaco, who is second on the table behind runaway lea d e r s a nd d e f e nd ing c h amp i o ns, P SG wi th 32 p o i nts f r o m 19 matches.

Ikeme shines in Wolves’ win CARL Ikeme was outstanding, a force of nature, last weekend as he inspired Wolverhampton Wanderers to a 1-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion in an English Championship game.

Ikeme produced no less than five top class save to guarantee maximum points for the visitors at the American Express Community Stadium.

After a composed first half display to shut out the hosts, Ikeme stepped on the accelerator with a performance for the ages in the second half to deny the home side time and again.

The first of such in the 71st minute foiled a counter-attack from Brighton as James Wilson broke down the right wing before cutting onto his left and firing firmly but Ikeme saved impressively.

Four minutes later, the Super Eagles keeper displayed yet another bit of great goalkeeping as he anticipated unerringly to claim a long ball on the edge of his box with Tomer Hemed challenging.

The goalkeeper displayed great positioning skills and firm handling in the 83rd minute as Lewis Dunk rose to meet James Wilson’s cross from the right wing.

Dunk’s header was des-

tined for the bottom corner, but Ikeme was in the right position to save.

Bruno Saltor then rattled the Wolves crossbar from 25-yard with a cracking effort which Ikeme managed to keep out with the tip of his fingers, making a stunning save on the process.

Ikeme

Ikeme was again called into action in the 90th minute, but he proved equal to the task with a fantastic leap and claim to hold a Brighton corner, delivered with intent into the Wolves six-yard box.

His final save of the game, in the final minute of added time was prob-

ably his best.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell rose highest in a crowded Wolves penalty area to head Jamie Murphy’s cross well, but Lewis Dunk hit the loose ball with venom only for Ikeme to produce yet another save right of the top drawer to close out the win.

AKWA United defender, Namso Edo has said he is not in a hurry to renew his contract with the 2015 Federation Cup winners.

The Promise Keepers have invited some of the retained players to come forward to renew their contracts with the side ahead of the new league season and campaign at the continent.

Already the new head coach, Maurice Cooreman is holding daily training session with the players preparatory for its CAF Confederation Cup match day 1 clash against the Congolese side, Vita Club Mokanda in the second week of February in Uyo. Edo said it is necessary he gets a final word from his agent on the proposed foreign club offer before deciding whether or not to renew his contract with the side.

“Akwa United have called me severally to come forward to renegotiate my contract for possible renewal but I’m yet to respond to the request as I want to hear from my agent before I decide on my future with the side.

“I have resumed with them and have been training with the other teammates ahead of the new league season.”

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Rooney (right) in a dramatic tumble after a challenge from Swansea midfielder, Leon Britton during the game.

Rooney ends Man U’s winless run W

AYNE Rooney scored a superb winner as Manchester United ended their Swansea City hoodoo with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on Saturday to ease some of the pressure on manager Louis

van Gaal.

The 77th minute strike from the England captain also ended a run of eight games without a win by the Red Devils.

The Dutch manager had lost each of his previous three meetings with Swan-

Carroll’s header silences Liverpool ANDY Carroll scored with a trademark towering header to sink his former employers as West Ham United got 2016 off to a flying start with a 2-0 Premier League win over a typically inconsistent Liverpool on Saturday.

Thanks to a first league double over the Reds for 52 years.

Carroll rose to meet a precise cross from Mark Noble 10 minutes into the second half, doubling the hosts’ advantage after Michail Antonio had headed them into an early lead.

West Ham moved up to fifth in the table, two points above Liverpool whose frailties were exposed again at Upton Park.

Having won their last two games by narrow margins, Juergen Klopp’s side looked more like the team that took a solitary point from their previous three, with little threat in attack and familiar vulnerabilities in defence.

Carroll, who remains Liverpool’s record signing when

he joined the Anfield club for £35 million in 2011, almost made it 3-0 when he had another header saved by Liverpool keeper Simon Mignolet.

The visitors, however, were largely restricted to shots from distance and two halfhearted penalty appeals for handball as they tried in vain to reduce the deficit. Substitute Joe Allen sent a header narrowly wide.

sea by the same scoreline, including his Premier League bow back in August 2014.

However, Rooney produced a sublime finish 13 minutes from time to earn United a first win in nine in all competitions.

After dominating the early stages, Van Gaal’s men allowed Swansea back into the match, with Morgan Schneiderlin surviving penalty claims for an alleged handball.

But the breakthrough came two minutes into the second half when the impressive Ashley Young supplied the cross for Anthony Martial to score his eighth United goal.

Swansea refused to go down without a fight and, after Andre Ayew hit a post, Gylfi Sigurdsson restored parity with a looping 70thminute header.

Carroll (right) celebrates with Antonio, scorer of the first goal.

Gerrard eyes Liverpool coaching job However, Rooney had the final say, with his flicked finish sending United into the top five while Swansea remain one place above the relegation zone.

Phil Jones came into the United defence in place of Matteo Darmian, while Swansea reverted to a more familiar starting XI after ringing the changes for Monday’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, with Jonjo Shelvey axed from the matchday squad.

FORMER Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard is planning a return to the club in a coaching role when his playing career ends, which could be this year.

The 35-year-old, who won 10 trophies at Liverpool, left at the end of last season to join Los Angeles Galaxy.

“I’m not 100 per cent sure but I think it will probably be my last year as a player,” Gerrard told the Daily Telegraph.

“I have had a chat with Liverpool boss’ Jurgen Klopp.

The club have let me know they’re keen for me to come

Arsenal maintains EPL lead ARSENAL moved two points clear of Leicester City at the top of the Premier League table with a win over Newcastle United on Saturday.

Unconvincing Gunners looked set for a point on a soggy Emirates Stadium pitch until defender Laurent Koscielny came to the rescue with a close-range poked winner in the 72nd minute.

The Magpies should have come away with at least a point having been on the front-foot for much of the second half.

Georginio Wijnaldum went closest but his shot was saved by Petr Cech.

It was not pretty, nor was it particularly effective but it was a win that kept the belief going among Arsenal

fans that this might be their season.

The Gunners did not deserve the three points, and few would have begrudged the Magpies victory, but one moment - the goal - encapsulated why Arsenal are top and why the visitors are struggling.

Magpies striker Ayoze Perez covered a lot of ground, helping out his team-mates in midfield to quell the danger posed by the likes of Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Alex OxladeChamberlain.

However, the young Spaniard switched off in the 72nd minute, allowing his manto-mark Koscielny to stick out a foot and convert a Giroud header.

back.”

Gerrard, who made 710 appearances for Liverpool and won 114 England caps, added: “I am always going to be biased towards Liverpool and the FA and basically when I am back home I am going to carry on with my punditry work and try and move around clubs and gain more experience, going to watch managers and learning more.

“I am basically available from November, December 2016. Everyone in the football world will know I am available and hopefully I will be 75 per cent into my coaching badges.”

The former England captain admits he would have liked to have acquired the necessary coaching qualifications earlier, and has urged the Football Association to ensure leading players remain in the game after finishing their playing days.

“I have regrets I didn’t start my coaching badges at 2122,” he said. “All that time wasted in hotels as an England player when I’ve been bored and was watching ‘The Office’ and ‘The Sopranos’.

“I wish I’d done my CBA (coaching) licence then so I’d be doing my pro-licence now.

“I had a meeting with the FA and said these players that are earning a certain amount of caps - don’t let them go away from the game, do more to keep them involved.”

SIDELINES NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER

no 2,027

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www.tribune.com.ng

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Some filling stations across the country have been accused of asking for ‘extra’ before selling petrol at FG’s recommended price. They should desist, lest the swift broom of ‘change’ sweeps them into detention.

Oliseh names CHAN 2016 final squad

Meets Eagles in S/Africa

By Mojisola Adewunmi

R

ECUPERATING head coach of Nigeria, Sunday Oliseh has released the final 23man list for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) scheduled to hold later this month in Rwanda.

The Super Eagles ‘B’ team which left Lagos on Saturday for South Africa will meet up with Oliseh in Cape Town, according to officials.

Oliseh was not part of the Eagles training camp in Abuja, but has since arrived in the Rainbow Nation for the final leg of the team’s build-up for the CHAN 2016.

According to the list released by Oliseh, FC Taraba player, Usman Mohammed leads the local pros after he shelved his plan to seek greener pastures in Europe.

The list also include the 2015 Glo Premier League second highest goalscorer, Tunde Adeniji of Sunshine Stars with 16 goals and Chisom Chikatara who scored 13 goals for Abia Warriors last season.

However, the season’s Goal King with 17 strikes, Gbolahan Salami was missing on the list, but the squad boasts another member of the Dream Team’s African U-23 Championship winning squad, Bature Yaro, Warri Wolves Bartholomew Ibenegbu and Chima Akas, among others.

The Eagles while in South Africa will play friendlies against fellow Rwanda–bound Angola and Cote d’Ivoire on January 6 and 11 respectively.

Nigeria finished third at the third CHAN held in South Africa in 2014 as the current squad aims to win the Cup in Rwanda on February 7.

Nigeria will campaign in group C alongside 2011 winners Tunisia, Niger Republic and Guinea, with matches to be played at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo, Kigali.

The full squad: Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); Okiemute Odah (Warri Wolves).

Defenders: Austin Oboroakpo (Abia War-

riors); Kalu Orji Okogbue (Enugu Rangers); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Mathew Etim (Enugu Rangers); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars); Christopher Madaki Maichibi (Giwa FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars).

Midfielders: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); Usman Mohammed (FC

Taraba); Yaro Bature (Nasarawa United); Bartholomew Ibenegbu (Warri Wolves); Ibrahim Attah Salau (Shooting Stars).

Forwards: Osas Okoro (Enugu Rangers); Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Chisom Chikatara (Abia Warriors); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars).

Neymar

Enrique keeps mumon Neymar racist chants MANAGER Luis Enrique refused to comment on reports of racist chants being aimed at Barcelona star, Neymar by a section of the

Man U strikers give me sleepless nights —Van Gaal

EMBATTLED manager, Louis van Gaal says his strikers do not make life comfortable for him after watching Manchester United end an eight-match winless run with a 2-1 victory over Swansea at Old Trafford.

United recorded their first win in nine games in all competitions, thanks to goals from Anthony Martial and Wayne Rooney, but the Red Devils had to

survive a late scare when Swansea goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski was inches away from scoring what would have been a memorable equaliser.

Asked if this victory would lift the tension, Van Gaal said: “You cannot predict that.

Only it shall raise the confidence and lower the pressure.

The players have a lot of pressure also against opponents who make it very difficult to score with 10 players behind

Van Gaal the middle line.

“That’s why I’m very happy we scored the two beautiful goals but we have to score from our first chances so we are sitting on the bench more comfortable with a lead.”

The Dutch tactician hopes the win will be the start of better things to come for the Red Devils.

“That’s for me not amazing. Amazing for me is that we can play a game plan

like in the first half with a risky style under this pressure. Also against Chelsea last week we played very risky, we pressed, and everyone has to function because the space behind us is bigger.

“Yet still we are the most dominant team, both against Chelsea and today against Swansea. I have good hope that this is a starting point for much more,” Van Gaal added.

Espanyol crowd during Saturday’s Catalan derby.

Barca were blunted by the intensity and aggression of their neighbours throughout the 0-0 stalemate at a boisterous Cornella El Prat, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez denied by the woodwork either side of half-time.

But it was events off the pitch that dominated the post-match agenda, with reports suggesting that Neymar was subjected to racist chants in the first half.

Former Barca board member, Toni Freixa tweeted after the game: “I trust that the racist chants which Neymar was subjected to have been carefully noted in the referee’s report.”

However, when asked about the issue in his media conference after the match, Barca coach Luis Enrique responded: “The only thing that interests me is what is happening out on the pitch.

“If I start giving opinions one way or another, I’ll get hit from all sides – mind you, I get hit from all sides even when I don’t say anything.”

EPL results:

West Ham 2 Liverpool Arsenal 1 Newcastle Leicester 0 B/mouth Man Utd 2 Swansea Norwich 1 S/ampton S/land 3 Aston Villa W/ Brom 2 Stoke City Watford 1 Man City

0 0 0 1 0 1 1 2

POOLS : 4, 14, 16, 18, 29, 31, 40, 44, 49.

TODAY’S MATCHES: 02 and 03

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: sundaytribuneeditor@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR WEEKEND TITLES: LASISI OLAGUNJU. All Correspondence to P. O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 3/1/2016